Boss Day U.S. - Oct 16
Boss' Day (alternative spelling Boss's Day, also known as Bosses Day or National Boss Day) is a secular holiday celebrated on October 16 in the United States and Canada. It has traditionally been a day for employees to thank their boss for being kind and fair throughout the year. The holiday has been the source of some controversy and criticism in the United States, where it is often mocked as a Hallmark Holiday. One interesting feature of this occassion in India, is that Boss's present gifts to their subordinates.
History Patricia Bays Haroski registered "National Boss' Day"
with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1958. She was working as a secretary for State Farm Insurance Company in Deerfield, Illinois at the time and chose October 8 because she forgot that the birthday of her boss, who was her father, was actually on the 16th. Four years later in 1962, Illinois Governor Otto Kerner backed Haroski's registration and officially proclaimed the day. National Boss' Day has become an international celebration in recent years and now is observed in countries such as Australia, India and South Africa and very recently Ireland and the UK. Hallmark did not offer a Boss' Day card for sale until 1979. It increased the size of its National Boss' Day line by 90 percent in 2007.
World Food Day Worldwide - Oct 16
World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945. It is also the Food Engineer day. The World Food Day theme for 2011 is "Food prices - from crisis to stability".
Origins
World Food Day (WFD) was established by FAO's Member Countries at the Organization's 20th General Conference in November 1979. The Hungarian Delegation, led by the former Hungarian Minister of Agriculture and Food, Dr. Pál Romány has played an active role at the 20th Session of the FAO Conference and suggested the idea of celebrating the WFD worldwide. It has since been observed every year in more than 150 countries, raising awareness of the issues behind poverty and hunger.
Themes Since 1981, World Food Day has adopted a different theme each year, in
order to highlight areas needed for action and provide a common focus. Most of the themes revolve around agriculture because only investment in agriculture – together with support for education and health – will turn this situation around. The bulk of that investment will have to come from the private sector, with public investment playing a crucial role, especially in view of its facilitating and stimulating effect on private investment. In spite of the importance of agriculture as the driving force in the economies of many developing countries, this vital sector is frequently starved of investment. In particular, foreign aid to agriculture has shown marked declines over the past 20 years.
Events Events take place in over 150 countries to mark World Food Day. Below are example of events held across the world in recent years.
United States of America:
World Food Day has been a tradition in the USA since the first World Food Day in 1981. In the United States the endeavor is sponsored by 450 national, private voluntary organizations. One example for World Food Day events in 2011 is the World Food Day Sunday Dinners that Oxfam America is sponsoring in collaboration with several other non profits. Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu and author Francis Moore Lappe have teamed up with Oxfam America to promote World Food Day Sunday Dinners.
Europe:
In Italy, ministries, universities, research agencies, international agencies and NGOs have organized many conferences as well as exhibitions and symposia. The Italian Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Policies organized a meeting which focused on women's rights in rural areas in 2005. In Germany, the Federal Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture have all become involved via press conferences. Spanish television has been active in broadcasting events. FAO Goodwill Ambassador – Spanish soccer star Raul – has taken part in events and helped highlight food-security issues across his country. The UK Food Group has also been active through conferences and media broadcasts. In the emerging economies of Eastern Europe – i.e., Albania, Armenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovak Republic – a variety of activities have been held. In Hungary, renowned experts have given presentations in the Hungarian Agricultural Museum and FAO, and WFD medals have been awarded to well-known Hungarian experts by the FAO Sub-Regional Representative. On behalf of the Holy See, Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI have sent an annual message for food producers and consumers on World Food Day.
Africa:
Angola celebrated WFD in 2005 through the 4th Forum on Rural Women, while in Burundi the second Vice-President planted potatoes to provide a symbolic example about food production. In Central African Republic, the President of the Republic has inaugurated a bridge at Boda to coincide with World Food Day, making the agricultural production area more accessible. In Chad, thousands of people have attended debates, conferences and activities including theatre, films, folk dance, visits to project sites and visits by agricultural companies. In Ghana, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has hosted a food security conference, while Namibia has run an awareness campaign through national media. Egypt has hosted a Forum on nutrition issues. Morocco and Tunisia have held seminars and exhibitions.
Asia:
The Government of Bangladesh has been involved through organizing a food festival; in China in 2005, celebrations were organized in Qujing City, where numerous ethnical minorities live, by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Government of Qujing City, with the participation of a number of senior officials of the Government. In the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, seminars have been held and visits made to various project sites. The Ministry of Agriculture ofIndonesia has in the past organized a major Food Expo in Bandung, West Java, while a Farmers' and Fishermen's Workshop of NGOs was held in Bali. In Armenia, staff from the Ministry of Agriculture, non-governmental organizations, Armenian State Agriculture University, the donor community, international organizations, and the mass media have participated in the World Food Day ceremony. In Afghanistan, representatives of Ministries, embassies, UN agencies, International Financial Organizations, National and International NGOs and FAO staff have attended the World Food Day ceremony. In Cyprus, special ceremonies have been organized in primary and secondary schools, where teachers explained the significance of World Food Day.
Latin America:
In Chile, exhibitions of indigenous food products have been prepared by local communities. In Argentina, senior officials of the Government, academics, international organizations and the press have participated in the main ceremony. In Mexico in 2005, a National Campaign for a "Mexico Without Hunger" was held, with the involvement and support of civil society and students. In Cuba, producers have been able to exchange views and experiences at an agricultural fair. The media strongly supports awareness campaigns on World Food Day; for example in Venezuela there has been national coverage of events.
Dessalines Day HAITI - Oct 17
Haiti’s founding father Jean-Jacques Dessalines proclaimed Haiti’s independence on this day in Gonaives, Haiti. It was a monumental achievement that marked the first successful slave revolution in world history and in the establishment of the independent Republic of Haiti.
History Dessalines was born on a plantation in an area called
Cormiers, (today, Cormier), in the hills near the town of Grande Rivière du Nord 25 kms from Cap-Haitien. That plantation belonged to a french man named Duclos. The young man was given the first name of Jacques. Hence, he will be called Jacques Duclos, as the practice was that slaves took their master’s last name. Of Dessalines’ mother or father, no one knows for sure, as slaves did not get birth certificates. The only known parent of his, is a certain aunt named Victoria Montou, that he called affectionately Toya. During the war, old Victoria Montou fought against the French in the Cahos mountains of the Artibonite region. She would remain in the house of the emperor until her death, June 12, 1805. At the age of 30 or so, he would be sold off on the market and be bought by a free black man named Dessalines. He changed his name from Jacques Duclos to Jean Jacques Dessalines. In 1791, though, he would join the slave revolt that would ultimately lead to independence. He followed the example given by the Boukman, Jean François and Biassou, early band leaders. He became a lieutenant in the Army of Jean François. He followed Jean François when he lent his services to the Royal majesty of Spain. There, he met Toussaint Bréda later called Louverture who was climbing the ranks and gaining notoriety for his successive brilliant victories against forces far superior to his. When the French Republic proclaimed freedom for all slaves, Dessalines followed Toussaint who rallied to the French flag in order to fight the armies of the Spanish and British crowns. Dessalines is widely regarded by Haitians as one of the outstanding heroes in the struggle against slavery and colonialism, in this spirit he is also affectionately called: ‘Papa Desalin’ (lit. Father Dessalines). He was the GovernorGeneral of Saint-Domingue from November 30, 1803 to December 31, 1803, the day before the Haitian Declaration of Independence. In contrast many non-Haitian observers have focused on Dessalines treatment of French colonialists and less on his achievements in the freedom struggle.
Day for the Eradication of Poverty Worldwide - Oct 17
The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is celebrated every year on October 17 throughout the world. It was officially recognised by the United Nations in 1992, but the first commemoration of the event took place in Paris, France, in 1987 when 100,000 people gathered on the Human Rights and Liberties Plaza at the Trocadéro to honour victims of poverty, hunger, violence and fear. This call was made by Joseph Wresinski (1917–1988) founder of the International Movement ATD Fourth World. The text engraved in the stone reads as follows: Wherever men and women are condemned to live in extreme poverty, human rights are violated. To come together to ensure that these rights be respected is our solemn duty. – Joseph Wresinski (1917–1988) founder of ATD Fourth World
Testimonies One of the main aims of the day is to make the voice of the poor heard. To this end, commemorations often include testimonies from people living in poverty, describing their own experiences or those of people they know.
Alaska Day U.S. - Oct 18
Alaska Day is a legal holiday in the U.S. state of Alaska, observed on October 18. It is the anniversary of the formal transfer of the Territory of Alaska from Russia to the United States which took place at a flag-raising ceremony at Fort Sitka on Friday October 18, 1867 (11 hours behind St. Petersburg, Russia, half past midnight, Saturday 7 October, St. Petersburg time, Julian Calendar, or 3:30 p.m. in Sitka, 7 October). Alaska Day is observed statewide, and is a paid holiday for State of Alaska employees. The official celebration is held in Sitka, where schools release students early, many businesses close for the day, and events such as a parade and reenactment of the flag raising are held. It should not be confused with Seward's Day, the last Monday in March which marks the signing of the treaty for the Alaska Purchase in which the U.S. purchased Alaska from Russia on March 30, 1867. Although the territory was sold to the U.S. in March, it was not until the 18th of October that year that the Commissioners arrived in Sitka and the formal transfer was arranged. The original ceremony included 250 uniformed U.S. soldiers, who marched to the Governor's house in Sitka at "Castle Hill", where the transfer was made. It was here that the Russian troops lowered the Russian flag and the U.S. flag was raised. The official account of the affair as presented by General Lovell Rousseau to Secretary of State William H. Seward continues: "... The troops being promptly formed, were, at precisely half past three o'clock, brought to a 'present arms', the signal given to the Ossipee ... which was to fire the salute, and the ceremony was begun by lowering the Russian flag ... The United States flag ... was properly attached and began its ascent, hoisted by my private secretary [and son], George Lovell Rousseau, and again salutes were fired as before, the Russian water battery leading off. The flag was so hoisted that in the instant it reached its place the report of the big gun of the Ossipee reverberated from the mountains around ... Captain Pestchour off stepped up to me and said, 'General Rousseau, by authority from his Majesty the Emperor of Russia, I transfer to the United States the Territory of Alaska' and in a few words I acknowledged the acceptance of the transfer, and the ceremony was at an end."
St. Gallus Day SWITZERLAND - Oct 16
Saint Gall, Gallen, or Gallus (c. 550 - c. 646) was an Irish disciple and one of the traditionally twelve companions of Saint Columbanus on his mission from Ireland to the continent. Saint Deicolus is called an older brother of Gall.
Biography Gall and his companions established themselves with
Columbanus at first at Luxeuil in Gaul. In 610, he accompanied Columbanus on his voyage up the Rhine River to Bregenz but when in 612 Columbanus traveled on to Italy from Bregenz, Gall had to remain behind due to illness and was nursed at Arbon. He remained in Swabia, where, with several companions, he led the life of a hermit in the forests southwest of Lake Constance, near the source of the river Steinach in cells. He died around 646-650 in Arbon, and his feast is celebrated on 16 October. After his death a small church was erected which developed into the Abbey of St. Gall, the nucleus of the Canton of St. Gallen in eastern Switzerland the first abbot of which was Saint Othmar. The monastery was freed from its dependence of the bishop of Constance and Emperor Louis the Pious made it an imperial institution. The "Abbey of St. Gall", (not from the name of its founder and first abbot, but of the saint who had lived in this place and whose relics were honoured there) the monastery and especially its celebrated scriptorium played an illustrious part in Catholic and intellectual history until it was secularized in 1798. From as early as the 9th century a series of fantastically embroidered Lives of Saint Gall were circulated. Prominent was the story in which Gall delivered Fridiburga from the demon by which she was possessed. Fridiburga was the betrothed of Sigebert II, King of the Franks, who had granted an estate at Arbon (which belonged to the royal treasury) to Gall so that he might found a monastery there. Another popular story about Gall has it that, at the command of the saint, a bear brought wood to feed the fire which Gall and his companions had kindled in the forest. The fragmentary oldest Life was recast in the 9th century by two monks of Reichenau, enlarged in 816-824 by the celebrated Wettinus, and about 833/884 by Walafrid Strabo, who also revised a book of the miracles of the saint. Other works ascribed to Walafrid tell of Saint Gall in prose and verse. The last is mentioned in Robertson Davies' book The Manticore, where he interprets the legend in Jungian psychological terms. In the final scene of the novel where David Staunton is celebrating Christmas with Lizelloti Fitziputli, Magnus Eisengrim, and Dunstan Ramsay he is given a gingerbread bear. Ramsay explains that Saint Gall made a pact of peace with a bear who was terrorizing the citizens of the nearby village. They would feed him gingerbread and he would refrain from eating them. The parable is a Jungian exhortation to make peace with one's dark side.
St. Ursula Day British Virgin Islands - Oc t 2 1
St. Ursula’s Day commemorates the Roman Catholic Saint after whom Columbus named the whole archipelago of islands. Columbus gave them the fanciful name Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes (Saint Ursula and her 11,000 Virgins), shortened to Las Vírgenes (The Virgins). The figure on the Territory’s crest is also supposed to represent St. Ursula and the lamps the Virgins. Ursula is Latin and means little female bear.
HISTORY
Not much is known about the history of St Ursula and her 11.000 virgins, except for what was told by Helentrude, a nun of Heerse near Paderborn in Germany. According to legend, Ursula was a beautiful British princess, daughter of a Christian king, Dionotus of Cornwall. Ursula had taken a vow of chastity, but against her will she was promised in marriage to Conan Meriadoc of Brittany, a pagan prince. Ursula was warned in a dream by an angel to demand the conversion of the prince to Christianity and three years to gather 11.000 for her future kingdom. When she was sent to her husband to be, Ursula was accompanied by 11.000 virginal handmaidens. However, a miraculous storm brought them over the sea in a single day to a Gaulish port, where Ursula declared that before her marriage she would undertake an European pilgrimage. She headed for Rome, with her followers, and persuaded the Pope, Cyriacus, and Sulpicius, Bishop of Ravenna, to join them. On their return, Cologne, Germany, was being sacked by the Huns, who after Ursula refused some advances of their prince, beheaded all 11.001 of them, supposedly in 383 (the date varies). One of the 11,000, St Cordula, escaped death on the first day by hiding, wrote down the tale for posterity, then gave herself up to join her sisters in martyrdom.
TRADITIONS, CUSTOMS AND ACTIVITIES
Considering that there is no work on this day and that the Virgin Islands are surrounded by clear water seas, it is hard to believe that most of islanders would celebrate this holiday away from the beach. The Royal British Virgin Islands Yacht Club annually organizes a St Ursula’s day race. There are different religious celebrations organized all over the 60 islands, who are predominantly Protestant Christian. There are some political movements that want to change the day from the remembrance of the naming of the archipelago by a holiday to recognize fishermen, sailors and boat builders, in appreciation of the Islands marine heritage.
Anniversary of Presiden Ndadaye's Death BURUNDI - Oct 21
Melchior Ndadaye (March 28, 1953 – October 21, 1993) was a Burundian intellectual and politician. He was the first democratically elected and first Hutu president of Burundi after winning the landmark 1993 election. Though he moved to attempt to smooth the country's bitter ethnic divide, his reforms antagonised soldiers in the Tutsidominated army, and he was assassinated amidst a failed military coup in October 1993, after only three months in office. His assassination sparked an array of brutal tit-for-tat massacres between the Tutsi and Hutu ethnic groups, and ultimately sparked the decade-long Burundi Civil War.
Early life Ndadaye was born in the town of Murama in Muramvya
Province. He began studying as a teacher, but his education was interrupted by the massacres of 1972, whereupon he was forced to flee to Rwanda to avoid being killed. He finished his degree in education at the National University of Rwanda, and then completed a second degree in banking at the National Academy of Arts and Trades in France. He worked as a banker thereafter.
Political career Ndadaye had become involved in politics while in Rwanda, serving as the inaugural president of the Mouvement
des Étudiants Progressistes Barundi au Rwanda, a movement of exiled Burundian students from 1976 to 1979. He was involved in the foundation of the Burundi Workers' Party in 1979, and was actively involved in the party until his resignation in 1983 as a result of a dispute over party strategy. Ndadaye returned to Burundi in September of that year, by which time he was developing a political following of his own. Ndadaye had been a key leader of the Burundi Workers' Party, and it subsequently fell into decline after his departure, ultimately being disbanded in the mid-1980s. Although opposition parties were banned in Burundi itself under the rule of military dictator Jean-Baptiste Bagaza, in 1986, Ndadaye and his supporters founded a new underground political movement, the moderate Front for Democracy in Burundi(FRODEBU). It remained underground until 1992, when Pierre Buyoya began a process of political liberalisation in advance of the country'sfirst ever democratic elections and allowed the party to officially register. The elections, held in June 1993, saw Ndadaye, endorsed by FRODEBU and three other predominately Hutu parties, the Rally for the People of Burundi (RPB), People's Party (PP), and the Liberal Party (PL), face up against the ruling Tutsi-dominated government under Buyoya. With the Hutu the dominant population in Burundi, Ndadaye won a crushing victory, receiving 65% of the vote to Buyoya's 32%. The poll was certified by international observers as being free and fair, and none of the candidates contested the poll. It was followed by success for his party in the legislative elections held later that month, winning 65 of 81 seats. After surviving a failed coup attempt on July 3, Ndadaye was sworn in as President of Burundi on July 10, 1993. The victory made him both the first democratically elected and first Hutu president of Burundi.
Presidency
Ndadaye took a cautious, moderate approach as President, and attempted to resolve the deep ethnic divide in Burundian society. He namedSylvie Kinigi, a female Tutsi, as the Prime Minister, and gave one third of the Cabinet posts and two regional governorships to Buyoya's Union for National Progress. He freed political prisoners, granted freedom of the press, granted amnesty to exiled former dictator Jean-Baptiste Bagaza, and moved slowly to address the entrenched disadvantage of the Hutus that had resulted from many years of minority Tutsi rule, so as not to exacerbate tensions. Despite his cautious approach to the presidency, some of his actions nevertheless provoked tensions in the community. He questioned contracts and concessions approved under previous Tutsi governments, which threatened the economics of the powerful Tutsi elite and army. He began reforms to the military, shifting the national police to a separate command and changing the admission requirements for the military and police so as to reduce the entrenched Tutsi dominance. The dominance of FRODEBU caused problems at a local level, as Ndadaye's Hutu supporters took over many positions previously held by Tutsis in the public service, and botched the resettlement of refugees returning after the 1972 massacres in such a way as to leave many Tutsi families homeless. These issues were exacerbated by the newly-free press, who began reporting in such a way as to inflame ethnic tensions.
Overthrow and death Ndadaye's government was to be short-lived, however, as he was overthrown and killed in a military coup on October
21. The exact events have never been clarified, but it appears that Ndadaye, Pontien Karibwami, the president of the National Assembly and Gilles Bimazubute, the vice-president of the National Assembly, were taken to an army barracks before dawn by supposedly loyal soldiers under the guise that there had been a mutiny by sections of the army and that they needed protection. The three, along with a number of other officials and cabinet members, were then executed, with Ndadaye bayonetted to death. Ndadaye's death sparked severe ramifications across the country. The attempted coup rapidly failed, as Francois Ngeze, the civilian politician installed as temporary head of state, refused to support the coup leaders and called for Prime Minister Kinigi, who had survived the coup and was in hiding at the French embassy to assume control, a move soon backed by key military chiefs. Kinigi was thus appointed as acting president while a resolution to the constitutional crisis caused by the assassination of both the president and the president of the assembly was found. The United Nations Security Council condemned the assassination and coup, and was soon followed in doing so by the United Nations General Assembly. Many thousands of civilians on both sides were killed in the resulting carnage, with estimates varying but generally agreed to be above 100,000. The ongoing violence developed into the decadelong Burundi Civil War. A United Nations investigation into Ndadaye's murder, the result of which was released in 1996, accused the army command of being responsible for the assassination and of being complicit in the resulting massacres by Tutsi troops. It did not name specific figures as being responsible, but Buyoya, Ndadaye's predecessor as president, has long been suspected of having some role in the assassination. In 1999, as part of attempts to end the civil war, an array of arrests were made of those suspected of involvement in the Ndadaye assassination. Five men, including the alleged ringleader, army officer Paul Kamana, were sentenced to death. 74 others received sentences ranging from one year to twenty years. Most of the high-ranking officials charged, however, were acquitted, in a verdict condemned by Ndadaye's supporters.
National Independence Day AZERBAIJAN - Oct 18
Azerbaijan officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Respublikası) is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to the south. The exclave of Nakhchivan is bounded by Armenia to the north and east, Iran to the south and west, while having a short borderline with Turkey to the northwest. The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the first democratic and secular republic in the Muslim world, was established in 1918, but was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1920. Azerbaijan regained independence in 1991. Shortly thereafter, during the Nagorno-Karabakh War, neighboring Armenia occupied NagornoKarabakh, its surrounding territories and the enclaves of Karki, Yukhary Askipara, Barkhudarly and Sofulu. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, which emerged in Nagorno-Karabakh, continues to be not diplomatically recognized by any nation and the region is still considered a de jure part of Azerbaijan, despite being de faction dependent since the end of the war. Azerbaijan, a nation with a majority Turkic and Shia population, is a secular and a unitary republic with an ancient and historic cultural heritage. Azerbaijan is one of the six independent Turkic states as well as the active members of the Turkic Council and the TÜRKSOY community. Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 158 countries and holds membership in 38 international organizations. It is one of the founding members of GUAM and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and in December 1991 the country became a founding member of the Commonwealth of Independent States. On May 9, 2006 Azerbaijan was elected to membership in the newly established Human Rights Council by the United Nations General Assembly. The term of office began on June 19, 2006. A Special Envoy of the European Commission is present in the country, which is also a member of the United Nations, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, and the NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) program. Azerbaijan is a correspondent at the International Telecommunication Union and member of the Non-Aligned Movement and holds observer status in World Trade Organization. Being one of the five most developed countries among CIS members, Azerbaijan has the 67th highest human development level in the world In 2009 the country had an unemployment rate of 6% and a low crime rate compared to other CIS and Eastern European countries.
Etymology
The name of Azerbaijan derives from Atropates, a Persian satrap under the Achaemenid Empire, that was later reinstated as the satrap of Media under Alexander of Macedonia. The original etymology of this name is thought to have its roots in the once-dominant Zoroastrian religion. In the Avesta, Frawardin Yasht ("Hymn to the Guardian Angels"), there is a mention of âterepâtahe ashaonô fravashîm ýazamaide, which literally translates from Avestan as "we worship the Fravashi of the holy Atropatene". Atropates ruled over the region of Atropatene (present-day Iranian Azerbaijan). The name "Atropates" itself is the Greek transliteration of an Old-Iranian, probably Median, compounded name with the meaning "Protected by the (Holy) Fire" or "The Land of the (Holy) Fire". The Greek name is mentioned by Diodorus Siculus and Strabo. Over the span of millenniums the name evolved to Āturpātākān then toĀdharbādhagān, Ādharbāyagān, Āzarbāydjān and present-day Azerbaycan. The word is translatable as "The Treasury" and "The Treasurer" of fire or "The Land of the Fire" in Modern Persian.
History
The earliest evidence of human settlement in the territory of Azerbaijan dates to the late Stone Age and is related to the Guruchay culture of the Azykh Cave. The Upper Paleolithic and late Bronze Age cultures are attested in the caves of Tağılar, Damcılı, Zar, Yataq-yeri and in the necropolises of Leylatepe and Saraytepe. Early settlements included the Scythians in the ninth century BC. Following the Scythians, Iranian Medes came to dominate the area to the south of the Aras. The Medes forged a vast empire between 900–700 BC, which was integrated into the Achaemenids Empire around 550 BC. The area was conquered by the Achaemenids leading to the spread of Zoroastrianism. Later it became part of Alexander the Great's Empire and its successor, the Seleucid Empire. Caucasian Albanians, the original inhabitants of the area, established an independent kingdom around the fourth century BC. During this period, Zoroastrianism spread in the Caucasus and Atropatene. Ancient Azerbaijanis spoke the Old Azari language.
Feudal era:
The Sassanids turned Caucasian Albania into a vassal state in AD 252, while King Urnayr officially adopted Christianity as the state religion in the fourth century. Despite numerous conquests by the Sassanids and Byzantines, Albania remained an entity in the region until the ninth century. The Islamic Umayyad Caliphate repulsed both the Sassanids and Byzantines from the region and turned Caucasian Albania into a vassal state after the Christian resistance, led by Prince Javanshir, was suppressed in 667. The power vacuum left by the decline of the Abbasid Caliphate was filled by numerous local dynasties such as the Sallarids, Sajids, Shaddadids, Rawadids and Buyids. At the beginning of the 11th century, the territory was gradually seized by waves of TurkicOghuz tribes from Central Asia. The first of these Turkic dynasties established was the Ghaznavids, which entered the area now known as Azerbaijan by 1030. The pre-Turkic Azerbaijani population spoke an Iranian language called the Old Azari language, which was gradually replaced by a Turkic language, now known as the Azerbaijani language from the 11th century onward until it became completely extinct in the 16th century. To distinguish it from the Turkic Azerbaijani or Azeri language, this Iranian language, is designated as the Azari language (or Old Azari language), because the Turkic language and people are also designated as "Azari" in the Persian language. However some linguists have also designated the Tati dialects of Iranian Azerbaijan and the Republic of Azerbaijan, like those spoken by the Tats, as a remnant of Azari. Locally, the possessions of the subsequent Seljuq Empire were ruled by atabegs, who were technically vassals of the Seljuq sultans, being sometimes de facto rulers themselves. Under theSeljuq Turks, local poets such as Nizami Ganjavi and Khagani Shirvani gave rise to a blossoming of Persian literature on the territory of present-day Azerbaijan. The next ruling state of the Jalayirids was short-lived and fell under the conquests of Timur. The local dynasty of Shirvanshahs became a vassal state of Timur's Empire and assisted him in his war with the ruler of the Golden HordeTokhtamysh. Following Timur's death two independent and rival states emerged: Kara Koyunlu and Ak Koyunlu. The Shirvanshahs returned, maintaining a high degree of autonomy as local rulers and vassals from 861 until 1539. During their persecution by the Safavids, the last dynasty imposed Shia Islam upon the formerly Sunni population, as it was battling against the Sunni Ottoman Empire.
Modern era:
After the Safavids, the area was ruled by the Iranian dynasties of Afshar and Zand and briefly by the Qajars. However de facto self-ruling khanates emerged in the area, especially following the collapse of the Zand dynasty and in the early Qajar era. The brief and successful Russian campaign of 1812 was concluded with the Treaty of Gulistan, in which the shah's claims to some of the Khanates of the Caucasus were dismissed by Russia on the ground that they had been de facto independent long before their Russian occupation. The khanates exercised control over their affairs via international trade routes between Central Asia and the West. Engaged in constant warfare, these khanates were eventually incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1813, following the two Russo-Persian Wars. The area to the North of the river Arax, amongst which the territory of the contemporary republic of Azerbaijan were Iranian territory until they were occupied by Russia. Under the Treaty of Turkmenchay, Persia recognized Russian sovereignty over the Erivan Khanate, the Nakhchivan Khanate and the remainder of the Lankaran Khanate. In 2007, during the construction of a stadium, constructors discovered the Guba mass grave. Studies by Azerbaijani and foreign scientists have confirmed the human remains found there to be of local residents of various nationalities, including Jews and Lezgins who were killed in the 1918 massacre. To date, the remains of 600 people have been found, including about 50 children and 100 women. After the collapse of the Russian Empire during World War I, Azerbaijan, together with Armenia and Georgia became part of the short-lived Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic. When the republic dissolved in May 1918, Azerbaijan declared independence as the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR). The ADR was the first modern parliamentary republic in the Muslim World. Among the important accomplishments of the Parliament was the extension of suffrage to women, making Azerbaijan the first Muslim nation to grant women equal political rights with men. In this accomplishment, Azerbaijan also preceded the United Kingdom and the United States. Another important accomplishment of ADR was the establishment of Baku State University, which was the first modern-type university founded in Muslim East. By March 1920, it was obvious that Soviet Russia would attack the much-needed Baku. Vladimir Lenin said that the invasion was justified as Soviet Russia could not survive without Baku's oil. Independent Azerbajian lasted only 23 months until the Bolshevik 11th Soviet Red Army invaded it, establishing the Azerbaijan SSR on April 28, 1920. Although the bulk of the newly formed Azerbaijani army was engaged in putting down an Armenian revolt that had just broken out in Karabakh, Azeris did not surrender their brief independence of 1918–20 quickly or easily. As many as 20,000 Azerbaijani soldiers died resisting what was effectively a Russian reconquest. On October 13, 1921, the Soviet republics of Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia signed an agreement with Turkey known as theTreaty of Kars. The previously independent Naxicivan SSR would also become autonomous ASSR within Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic by the treaty of Kars. On the other hand, Armenia was awarded the region of Zangezur and Turkey agreed to return Gyumri (then known as Alexandropol). During World War II, Azerbaijan played a crucial role in the strategic energy policy of Soviet Union, with most of the Soviet Union's oil on the Eastern Front being supplied by Baku. By the Decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR in February 1942, the commitment of more than 500 workers and employees of the oil industry of Azerbaijan was awarded orders and medals. Operation Edelweiss carried out by the German Wehrmacht targeted Baku because of its importance as the energy (petroleum) dynamo of the USSR. A fifth Azerbaijanis fought in the Second World War from 1941 to 1945. Approximately 681,000 people with over 100,000 of them women went to the front, while the total population of Azerbaijan was 3.4 million at the time. Some 250,000 people from Azerbaijan were killed on the front. More than 130 Azerbaijanis were named Heroes of the Soviet Union. Azerbaijani Major-General Azi Aslanov was awarded twice Hero of the Soviet Union.
Republic era:
Following the politics of glasnost, initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev, civil unrest and ethnic strife grew in various regions of the Soviet Union, including Nagorno-Karabakh, a region of the Azerbaijan SSR. The disturbances in Azerbaijan, in response to Moscow's indifference to already heated conflict, resulted in calls for independence and secession, which culminated in Black January in Baku. Later in 1990, the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR dropped the words "Soviet Socialist" from the title, adopted the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Azerbaijan Republic and restored flag of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic as a state flag. On 18 October 1991, the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan adopted a Declaration of Independence which was affirmed by a nationwide referendum in December 1991, when the Soviet Union was officially dissolved. The early years of independence were overshadowed by the Nagorno-Karabakh War with neighboring Armenia. By the end of hostilities in 1994, Armenia occupied up to 16 percent of Azerbaijani territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh itself. An estimated 30,000 people had been killed and more than a million had been displaced. Four United Nations Security Council Resolutions (822, 853, 874, and 884) demands for "the immediate withdrawal of all Armenian forces from all occupied territories of Azerbaijan." In 1993, democratically elected president Abulfaz Elchibey was overthrown by a military insurrection led by Colonel Surat Huseynov, which resulted in the rise to power of the former leader of Soviet Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev. In 1994, Surat Huseynov, by that time a prime minister, attempted another military coup against Heydar Aliyev, but Huseynov was arrested and charged with treason. In 1995, another coup attempt against Aliyev, by the commander of the OMON special unit, Rovshan Javadov, was averted, resulting in the killing of the latter and disbanding of Azerbaijan's OMON units. During his presidency, Aliyev managed to reduce the country's unemployment, rein in criminal groups, establish the fundamental institutions of independent statehood, and brought stability, peace and major foreign investment. At the same time, the country was tainted by rampant corruption in the governing bureaucracy. In October 1998, Aliyev was reelected for a second term. Despite the much improved economy, particularly with the exploitations of AzeriChirag-Guneshli oil field and Shah Deniz gas field, Aliyev's presidency was criticized due to suspected vote fraud and corruption.
Sa m or a Ma c he l D a y MOZAMBIQUE - Oct 19
Samora Moisés Machel (September 29, 1933 – October 19, 1986) was a Mozambican military commander, revolutionary socialist leader and eventual President of Mozambique. Machel led the country from independence in 1975 until his death in 1986, when his presidential aircraft crashed in mountainous terrain where the borders of Mozambique, Swaziland and South Africa converge.
Mother Teresa Day ALBANIA - Oct 19
Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta has been memorialized throughout the world in honor of her selflessness and unswerving devotion to the poor. During her lifetime this commemorization often took the form of awards and honorary degrees bestowed upon her. She has also been memorizalized through museums and dedications of churches, roads and other structures.
Mother Teresa in Albania
Mother Teresa Day (Dita e Nënë Terezës) on October 19 is a • Albania. public holiday in The airport of Tirana, the capital of Albania, is the Tirana In• Nënë Tereza, named after Mother ternational Airport Teresa in 2002. The second largest square in Tirana, the largest being Skan• was named after Mother Teresa. A monument of Mother Teresa is also found derbeg Square, there. The biggest Civil Hospital in Tirana, was named after her. •
Tribute Musical In 1998 a musical tribute album was compiled and released by Lion Communications (Polygram Records). The album
featured artists from around the world paying tribute to Mother Theresa and was called "Mother, We'll Miss You". Some of the artists included on the CD were Latino Grammy legend Jose Feliciano and famed black gospel group Walt Whitman and the Soul Children of Chicago. The album was produced by Scottish singer Dave Kelly, who also wrote and performed the title track. Over fifty major American newspapers, such as the Boston Globe and the Philadelphia Inquirer, featured stories on the release of the tribute album and also took this opportunity to honor the life and work of Mother Teresa.
Parishes with Mother Teresa as patroness Mother Teresa parish, Dakota Dunes, SD, USA - 1 September 1999
• • • • • •
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta parish, Woodinville, WA, USA - 1 July 2004 Blessed Teresa of Calcutta parish, Ferguson, MO, USA - 1 July 2005 Blessed Teresa of Calcutta parish, North Lake, WI, USA - 1 July 2005 Blessed Teresa of Calcutta parish, Limerick, PA, USA - 1 July 2006 Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish, Halifax, NS, Canada
Schools
Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary School, YCDSB, Markham, Ontario, Canada - 1979 • Blessed Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School (Previously Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary • School), TCDSB, Scarbrough, Ontario, Canada - 1985 Mother Teresa Catholic High School, OCSB, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - 1998 • Mother Teresa Regional School, Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, US •
Streets
A block of Lydig Avenue, between Holland and Wallace Avenues, located in the New York City borough of the Bronx was renamed Mother Teresa Way on 30 August 2009, honoring her and the borough's growing Albanian community.
Feast of St Margaret Alacoque St. Lucia - Oct 17
Marguerite Marie Alacoque or Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (22 July 1647, Verosvres– 17 October 1690) was a French Roman Catholic nun and mystic, who promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in its modern form.
Early life
She was born at Lhautecour, a village in the diocese of Autun, now part of the commune of Verosvres in 1647. From early childhood, Margaret was described as showing intense love for the Blessed Sacrament (the Eucharist), and as preferring silence and prayer to childhood play. After her First Communion at the age of nine, she practised in secret severe corporal mortification (including carving the name "Jesus" into her chest as an adolescent) until rheumatic fever confined her to bed for four years. At the end of this period, having made a vow to the Blessed Virgin to consecrate herself to religious life, she was instantly restored to perfect health.
Visions She had visions of Jesus Christ, which she thought were a normal part of human experience and continued to practise
austerity. However, in response to a vision of Christ, crucified but alive, that reproached her for forgetfulness of him, claiming his Heart was filled with love for her due to her promise, she entered, when almost 24 years of age, the Visitation Convent at Paray-le-Monial on 25 May 1671, intending to become a nun. She was subjected to many trials to prove the genuineness of her vocation. She was admitted to wearing the religious habit on 25 August 1671, but was not allowed to make her religious profession on the same date of the following year, which would have been normal. Finally, she was admitted to profession on 6 November 1672. She changed her baptismal name of Marguerite (Margaret) to her religious name of Marguerite-Marie (Margaret Mary). In this convent she received several revelations of the Sacred Heart, the first on 27 December 1673, and the final one 18 months later. The visions revealed to her the form of the devotion, the chief features being reception of Holy Communion on the First Friday Devotions of each month, the Eucharistic adoration during the Holy Hour on Thursdays, and the celebration of the Feast of the Sacred Heart. She stated that in her vision she was instructed to spend an hour every Thursday night to meditate on the sufferings of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Holy Hour practice later became widespread among Catholics. Initially discouraged in her efforts to follow the instruction she had received in her visions, Marguerite-Marie was eventually able to convince her superior, Mother de Saumaise, of the authenticity of her visions. She was unable, however, to convince a group of theologians of the validity of her apparitions, nor was she any more successful with many of the members of her community. She received the support of Saint Claude de la Colombière, the community's confessor for a time, who declared that the visions were genuine. In 1683, opposition in the community ended when Mother Melin was elected Superior and named Margaret Mary her assistant. She later became Novice Mistress, saw the convent observe the Feast of the Sacred Heart privately beginning in 1686, and two years later, a chapel was built at the Paray-le-Monial to honour the Sacred Heart.
Beatification
After Margaret Mary's death, on 17 October 1690, the devotion to the Sacred Heart was fostered by the Jesuits and the subject of controversies within the Church. The practice was not officially recognized till 75 years after her death. The discussion of her own mission and qualities continued for years. All her actions, her revelations, her spiritual maxims, her teachings regarding the devotion to the Sacred Heart, of which she was the chief exponent as well as the apostle, were subjected to the most severe and minute examination, and finally the Sacred Congregation of Rites passed a favourable vote on the heroic virtues of this "servant of God". In March 1824, Pope Leo XII pronounced her Venerable (the first step on the path to canonised sainthood), and on 18 September 1864 Pope Pius IX declared her Blessed. When her tomb was canonically opened in July 1830, two instantaneous cures were recorded to have taken place. Her incorrupt body rests under the altar in the chapel at Paray-le-Monial, and many striking blessings have been claimed by pilgrims attracted there from all parts of the world. She was canonised by Benedict XV in 1920, and in 1929 her liturgical commemoration was included in the Roman Catholic calendar of saints for celebration on 17 October, the day of her death. In 1969, this date was assigned to a saint of the Apostolic Age, Saint Ignatius of Antioch, and the memorial of Saint Margaret Mary was moved to the previous day, 16 October. In his 1928 encyclical Miserentissimus Redemptor, Pope Pius XI affirmed the Church's position regarding the credibility of her visions of Jesus Christ by speaking of Jesus as having "manifested Himself" to Saint Margaret Mary and having "promised her that all those who rendered this honour to His Heart would be endowed with an abundance of heavenly graces". Her short devotional writing, La Devotion au Sacré-Coeur de Jesus (Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus), was published posthumously by J. Croiset in 1698, and has been popular among Catholics.
Quote
"And He [Christ] showed me that it was His great desire of being loved by men and of withdrawing them from the path of ruin that made Him form the design of manifesting His Heart to men, with all the treasures of love, of mercy, of grace, of sanctification and salvation which it contains, in order that those who desire to render Him and procure Him all the honour and love possible, might themselves be abundantly enriched with those divine treasures of which His heart is the source." — from Revelations of Our Lord to St. Mary Margaret Alacoque
Popular culture
In James Joyce's short story "Eveline", part of his Dubliners, a "coloured print of the promises made to Blessed Margaret Mary Alacoque" is mentioned as part of the decorations of an Irish home at the turn of the 20th Century, testifying to her enduring popularity among Irish Catholics.
Kenyatta Day K E N YA - O c t 2 0
During this day Kenyans celebrate the memory of Jomo Kenyatta, considered the founding father of the nation of Kenya, as well as all the freedom fighters of their country. He was a visionary leader, brave and intelligent man who led Kenyans through their fights against British colonialist. These efforts led to a free and independent Kenya.
History
Jomo Kenyatta (20/10/1894 – 22/08/1978), from the ethnic group of the Kikuyu, received the name of Kamau wa Ngengi when he was born in the village of Ngenda. After a common beginning of life, Kenyatta entered into politics in 1924, following the ideas of leaders from the KCA (Kikuyu Central Association). He founded a newspaper in Kenya, the Reconciler, as well as wrote several articles for British newspapers about the KCA. He studied and lived in London from 1934 to 1945, when he returned to Kenya. He started as a teacher in a college and gradually lifted himself through the ranks of politics in colonized Kenya. He remained in jail, from 1951 to 1962, due to his alleged membership with a radical anti-colonial movement. Even so, he was cherished and loved by Kenyans, who demanded his release with a petition of over one million signatures. In 1963 he became prime minister of the autonomous Kenyan government, still under the rule of the British Crown. After independence, he remained as prime-minister and on 1964 he became President when he successfully had Parliament amend the Constitution to make Kenya a republic. He was re elected President several times, until his death in 1978. His face still adorns Kenyan currency notes and coins of all denomination.
CUSTOMS AND ACTIVITIES TRADITIONS, This day is occasioned by the President’s speech and military parade across the Provincial and District Headquarters
in Kenya. Besides Nairobi where the president is scheduled to address the Nation, the other similar meetings are addressed by the Provincial District Commissioners the same day. All over the world there are celebrations of expatriate Kenyans, who in this way join their country brothers, rejoicing in the liberation and independence of Kenya.
life Early Samora Machel was born in the village of Madragoa
(today's Chilembene), Gaza Province,Portuguese East Africa (Mozambique), to a family of farmers. He was a member of the Shangana ethnic group and his grandfather had been an active collaborator of Gungunhana. Under Portuguese rule, his father, a native, was forced to accept lower prices for his crops than white farmers; compelled to grow labor-intensive cotton, which took time away from the food crops needed for his family; and forbidden to brand his mark on his cattle to prevent thievery. However, Machel's father was a successful farmer: he owned four plows and 400 head of cattle by 1940. Machel grew up in this farming village and attended mission elementary school. In 1942, he was sent to school in the town of Zonguene in Gaza Province. The school was run by Catholic missionaries who educated the children in Portuguese language and culture. Although having completed the fourth grade, Machel never completed his secondary education. However, he had the prerequisite certificate to train as a nurse anywhere in Portugal at the time, since the nursing schools were not degree-conferring institutions. Machel started to study nursing in the capital city of Lourenço Marques (today Maputo), beginning in 1954. In the 1950s, he saw some of the fertile lands around his farming community on the Limpopo river appropriated by the provincial government and worked by white settlers who developed a wide range of new infrastructure for the region. Like many other Mozambicans near the southern border of Mozambique, some of his relatives went to work in the South African mines where additional job opportunities were found. Shortly afterwards, one of his brothers was killed in a mining accident. Unable to complete formal training at the Miguel Bombarda Hospital in Lourenço Marques, he got a job working as an aide in the same hospital and earned enough to continue his education at night school. He worked at the hospital until he left the country to join the Mozambican nationalist struggle in neighbouring Tanzania.
Liberation struggle
Machel was attracted to Marxist ideals and began his political activities in the Lourenço Marques hospital where he protested against the fact that black nurses were paid less than whites doing the same job. He later told a reporter how bad medical treatment was for Mozambique's poor: "The rich man's dog gets more in the way of vaccination, medicine and medical care than do the workers upon whom the rich man's wealth is built." His grandparents and great grandparents had fought against Portuguese colonial rule in the 19th century, so it was not surprising that in 1962 Machel joined the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) which was dedicated to creating an independent Mozambique. He left his first wife and four children behind. He received military training in 1963 elsewhere in Africa, and returned in 1964 to lead FRELIMO's first guerilla attack against the Portuguese in northern Mozambique. Machel married his second wife, Josina (née Mutemba), in 1969, who gave him a child later that same year. By 1969, Machel had become commander-in-chief of the FRELIMO army which had already established itself among Mozambique's peasantry. His most important goal, he said, was to get the people "to understand how to turn the armed struggle into a revolution" and to realize how essential it was "to create a new mentality to build a new society". Two months after the assassination of FRELIMO's president, Eduardo Mondlane, in February 1969, a ruling triumvirate comprising Samora Machel, Marcelino dos Santos and Frelimo's vice-president Uria Simango assumed the leadership. Simango was expelled from the party in 1970, and Machel assumed the presidency of the movement.
Memorial
A memorial at the Mbuzini crash site was inaugurated on January 19, 1999 by Nelson Mandela and his wife Graça, and by President Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique. Now the monument is made professional and the memorial service is held on the 19th October each year. Designed by Mozambican architect José Forjaz, at a cost to the South African government of 1.5 million Rand (US$ 300,000), the monument comprises 35 steel tubes symbolising the number of lives lost in the air crash. At least eight foreigners were killed there, including the four Soviet crew members, Machel's two Cuban doctors and the Zambian and Zairean ambassadors to Mozambique. Also, a street in Moscow bears his name and the Zimbabwean band R.U.N.N. family had a hit song that mourned his loss.
Revolution Day G U AT E M A L A - O c t 2 0
This public holiday commemorates the almost bloodless democratic revolution of 1944 when discontented university and military leaders overthrew the military dictator Jorge Ubico y Castaneda. Near the end of World War II, Guatemalans had been ruled by a harsh dictator for over a decade. In the spring of 1944, a coalition of teachers, skilled workers and students decided to put an end to the dictatorship, fuelled by the dream of four freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.
History
As a first act of defiance, the teachers demanded higher wages and refused to march in an annual Teachers Day Parade scheduled for June 30, 1944. On June 29, several non violent protests gathered in the capital’s central square, the dictator responded with the cavalry and killed 200 persons. These became martyrs, which sparked a broad general strike that paralyzed the country and forced Ubico to surrender power to his generals. Alejandro Cordova, a famous Guatemalan journalist, wrote several articles against the government and gave a powerful speech before being assassinated. This gave even more strength to the revolutionary movement among Guatemalans. Ponce called a free election, as if presenting himself as democratic. Dr. Juan Jose Arevalo Bermejo living in exile in Argentina, came back to Guatemala to run against Ponce, who ordered his immediate arrest. After all, Ponce was forced to run to Mexico on October 22 due to an armed revolt led by Major Francisco Arana and Captain Jacobo Arbenz, known as the October Revolutionaries. Free elections were soon held and Arevalo won the elections. This started what is called The Ten Years of Spring, a period of free speech and political activity, proposed land reform, and a perception that great progress could be made in Guatemala.
TRADITIONS, CUSTOMS AND ACTIVITIES
The day is marked by massive protests (sometimes with tens of thousands of participants and sometimes lasting more than one day) by unions, farmers, teachers and human rights organizations who still seek the truth about the desaparecidos (vanished), more than 200.000 victims of the Guatemalan civil war. Several speakers take the stage to voice out Guatemalans discontent about current national issues. Besides these there are loud celebrations with music and more, centring on the Plaza Mayor in Guatemala City. Guatemalans are fond of setting off fireworks, and this is no exception. Government tolerates and promotes the day as a good stress reliever for citizens, who the next day returns to their daily lives.
HUNGARY Hungarians in UNFICYP (Online) The 28th rotation of the Hungarian Defence Forces’ mission in Cyprus (UNFICYP HUNCON) deployed to the area of operations (AO) in September, 2010. The HUNCON personnel were last seen together on the airplane transporting the rotation, since they were performing their tasks during the 12 months of their tour of duty abroad in four different places, mostly serving with multinational units. The Hungarian Contingent is divided into three main parts. Most of the personnel is assigned to the 4th Sector of the buffer zone, which is under the control of the joint Slovak– Hungarian Sector HQ stationed in the town of Famagusta. The Hungarian officers, NCOs and enlisted s e r v i c e members of the Famagusta-based staff, Platoon 1, and the military liaison teams belong to this group. The second large group of Hungarian troops – all in all 13 – is assigned to the UN Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus Headquarters in Nicosia (UNFICYP HQ). One of their subunits discharges force protection duties at the HQ, and they contribute the so-called Mobile Force Reserve (MFR) which is the operational reserve under the Force Commander. The Hungarian troops of the Force Military Police Unit (FMPU) executing conventional military police tasks come under this group, too. The third part of the contingent is the staff officers’ group, consisting of five officers and one warrant officer, who serve in Nicosia. They perform operational, medical, logistical and personnel planning tasks. The United Nations Organisation has maintained its peacekeeping mission on the island divided into two parts for more than 47 years now. The future of this mission can only be foreseen in six months periods ahead, because the General Assembly of the world organisation
votes for a maximum half-year mandate at one time, always assessing the processes which may lead to the solution of the conflict situation that emerged in 1974. Let’s have a closer look at the Hungarian peacekeepers’ duties in Cyprus. The 1st Platoon of the Slovak–Hungarian company under the Sector Commander is stationed in the village of Athienou. The 37 Hungarian service members execute patrol and logistic support tasks. They had to acquire a very precise picture of the zone during the five weeks of their mission rehearsal training in Szolnok, Hungary and in the two weeks after their arrival, as – with a little exaggeration – they had to be aware of each pebble and tree in the area. This knowledge is vital, because this was the only way for them to est a b l i s h whether an incident took place in the buffer zone, or any other event that is prohibited by the UN. Even though the Cyprus mission often wears the attribute “practicing”, the task execution of the Hungarian troops of the 1st Platoon was not entirely without dangers because of the frequently occurring emergencies, and in the summer period they had to contribute to extinguishing leaf fires as well. In addition to the daily routine tasks, the Hungarian soldiers were involved in the past one year in the evacuation of the UN staff in Libya to Cyprus. They helped the Serbian peacekeeping squad joining the 1st Platoon in their integration into the mission. At the handovertakeover ceremony, held on Wednesday, September 28, in Athineou, the outgoing Commander, Lt.-Col. Imre Kovács in his speech thanked the contingent for their exceptional performance. He also welcomed the 77 Hungarian troops – among them the Commander of the Contingent, Lt.-Col. (Eng.) Péter Lukács -, who will serve on the island in the coming one year.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Hungary on the enlargement package of the European Commission (Online) Hungary welcomes that the Commission reported about the progress of nearly all the countries that are committed to joining the European Union. We also welcome the progress made by Serbia. However, the law on property restitution and compensation passed by the Serbian Parliament on September 26 is of grave concern to us. The European Commission presented its annual enlargement package on 12 October, 2011. The Commission put forward two avis: one about granting the status of candidate country to Serbia and another about closing the accession talks with Croatia. The latter is required for signing the Treaty of Accession with Croatia. It is an important achievement for the enlargement process that the Commission reported about the progress of nearly all the countries that are committed to joining the European Union. We agree with the statement of the Commission that a new chapter was opened in the enlargement process with the closing of the accession talks with Croatia. We support that the Commission’s package urges the advancement of the enlargement process. Completing the accession talks on June 30 was a joint success of Croatia and the Hungarian EU Presidency. Signing the Treaty of Accession in December will signal to the entire Western Balkans that the doors of the European Union are indeed open to the countries that successfully meet the conditions of accession. It is of great significance for Hungary that we will be able to welcome another neighbouring country in the European Union. We welcome that Montenegro has made significant achievements in the fields required for for starting the accession talks. We are committed to providing all support and assistance that Montenegro should need in starting the negotiations and in advancing its integration process. We welcome the progress made by Serbia over the past year. The government of Serbia has made several measures that have demonstrated its willingness to accelerate the accession process in order to achieve the status of candidate country. Hungary, as Serbia’s neighbour and an EU member state committed to the enlargement process, is interested in the advancement of Serbia’s accession process. However, the law on property restitution and compensation passed by the Serbian Parliament on September 26 is of grave concern to us. For the law excludes those from the property compensation process who served in the occupying forces during the Second World War (as well as their successors) even if they did not commit any crime or atrocity. This law is founded on the outmoded
principle of collective guilt, and, as such, it imposes serious discrimination. It is in contradiction with universal and EU values and norms, and violates the so-called Copenhagen criteria. This is why our standpoint is solid: we expect Serbia to resolve this problem until the beginning of December the latest. Only if Serbia resolves it, can the December 9 European Council pass an unanimous decision about granting Serbia the status of candidate country. The Commission’s statement, which seeks legal clarity as regards compensation, is a good basis for further consultations. We have followed Macedonia’s progress in completing its tasks related to the process of integration. The Macedonian leadership has realized that the advancement of the country requires the further implementation of reforms. We welcome that the European Commission proposed again that accession talks should be started with Macedonia. However, we are disappointed that the obstacle to launching the talks - that is, the dispute with Greece - has not been removed. We encourage both sides to continue seeking for a solution so that Macedonia can begin its EU accession talks at the earliest possible date. There has not been significant progress with respect to completing the tasks related to the process of integration in the cases of Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina. We encourage the leaders of both countries to take the required steps in continuing the reform process, for it is indispensable for the advancement of their countries. We are confident that Kosovo’s commitment to European integration will yield further results. As regards preparation for accession, Hungary is ready to provide professional support and assistance to Kosovo just like to any other candidate country or potential candidate in the Western Balkans. It is our definite interest to support Turkey’s commitment to European integration and we welcome that the Commission made statements to the same effect. While the Commission’s proposal points out the particular details of the tasks lying ahead of Turkey, it recognizes the strategic significance of Turkey and its vital role in the external relations of the European Union. We welcome the achievements made by Iceland in its accession process. The Hungarian EU Presidency gave an impetus to the accession talks, and the Polish Presidency is preparing the way for making further progress. Iceland - as a country with long established democracy and strong ties to the EU - can provide an example for future candiadte countries.
Hungary has joined the Alps-Adriatic GMO-free Region (Online) Parliament has passed a resolution requesting that local governments ban the use of genetically modified organisms in agriculture and farming within their areas of administration, so joining a Croatian initiative. Parliament unanimously passed the proposal put forward by the Committee on Sustainable Development, with 346 votes. The adoption of the proposal means that Hungary has joined the Croatian initiative, put forward as part of the Alps-Adriatic cooperation, that bans the use of "polluted" crops and is aimed at keeping the region free of GMOs. Croatian counties were pronounced GMO-free at the end of last year, when the fact was proclaimed by their local governments and public administration issued a relevant resolution. Croatia's intentions are in harmony with Hungary's similar aspirations, as included in the new Constitution, reinforcing and comple-
menting those. The goal of the Croatian initiative is to ensure GMO-free crop cultivation, animal husbandry and food production, as well as the preservation of biodiversity. Mutual domestic economic advantages are anticipated in the fields of public health and tourism, in addition to which more favourable export opportunities may arise with regard to the marketing of seeds, crops and processed foods. At an earlier session of parliament's Committee on Sustainable Development, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development responsible, Zsolt Feldman, stated GMO-related issues require complex solutions, in relation to which the government has already taken several steps. He put forward as an example the setting up of the GMO Committee.
Hungarian Parliament approves National Energy Strategy (Online) The National Energy Strategy, based on new foundations, will ensure the long-term sustainability, safety and economic competitiveness of Hungary’s energy supply. While serving our primary national interests, it guarantees the safety of supply, considers the principle of least cost, enforces environmental criteria and enables Hungary to contribute to the solving of global problems in line with its international weight and available resources. Already approved by Parliament, the National Energy Strategy has the main objective to strengthen Hungary’s energy independence. The cornerstones of this effort include energy saving, renewable energy produced in a decentralised manner in Hungary, integration with Europe’s energy infrastructures, and nuclear power on which the electrification of road and rail traffic may be based. The fifth cornerstone is the creation of a dual-pole agriculture that will be able to flexibly switch between food, feed and renewable energy production with a view to enforcing both sustainability and market criteria. Besides, Hungary is not in a position to abandon fossil energy carriers either; in particular, natural gas purchased at fair prices will continue to play a major role, while the domestic coal and lignite stocks represent the strategic reserves of Hungary’s energy industry. Developed for the next few decades, the National Energy Strategy is supplemented with other matching concepts, action plans and industry strategies to form a uniform strategic target system. The tasks contemplated in the resolution approved by Hungarian Parliament include the compilation of Action Plans for the Development of Power Plants, for the Management and Utilisation of Mineral Resources, for Public Awareness, for the Development of Energy Research and Industry and for District Heating Development. The elaboration of all five Action Plans will be started in parallel by the Ministry of National Development. Just like in the case of the National Energy Strategy, the Ministry places a great emphasis on extensive technical reconciliations and, therefore, wishes to include in the preparatory works a wide range of consultants and players representing the government, the industry and the society. The first draft of the Action Plans is expected to be completed by the spring of 2012. Although Hungary’s electricity generation capacity is sufficient at the moment, numerous old, obsolete and inef-
ficient power plants will have to be replaced in the future. This process must take place along the lines of a longterm concept in accordance with the Action Plan for the Development of Power Plants. According to strategic efforts, electricity generation may be based, at least in part, on the stock of fossil energy carriers available in Hungary. The Action Plan for the Management and Utilisation of Mineral Resources will specify a schedule for the survey and reassessment of Hungary’s mineral resources and the options of their utilisation in compliance with the requirement of environmental sustainability. The Action Plan for the Development of Energy Research and Industry will identify the special areas of energy management where Hungary can internationally benefit from its skills and capabilities and make a survey of the partners that can be involved in potential cooperation arrangements. Based on the technical grounds laid down in the Act on the Amendment of Certain Acts Related to District Heating Services, approved by Hungarian Parliament a week ago, the Action Plan for District Heating Development – intended for the achievement of energy policy objectives and the efficient improvement of the district heating sector – will provide for the identification of user demands that can be profitably met and for a coordination between the available facilities and proposed improvements. Furthermore, an Action Plan for Public Awareness will be developed in order to increase the public acceptance of energy saving and energy efficiency. According to the government’s view, it is a major task also in the energy industry to rebuild the state’s positions that have been given up in former years as a result of short-sighted budget considerations or even less evident and transparent reasons. The strategic objectives – including, in particular, the supply of energy at affordable prices to the public – may be achieved only through a reinforcement of the state’s role. The government is planning to set up a new public system of energy institutions and tools that will be transparent, accountable and in line with EU legislation, ensuring a predictable environment for investors and taking into consideration consumers’ interests as well. According to the Energy Strategy, the system of institutions required is part of the EU energy supply and policy, but within that, it is also able to efficiently enforce national interests.
Hungary condemns terrorist plot against Saudi Ambassador (Online) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Hungary was deeply shocked by the news of the planned attempt on the life of Saud Arabia’s Ambassador in Washington D.C. which was successfully thwarted by US law enforcement organizations. Hungary condemns all forms of terrorism, and has con-
sequently represented the position for long that these acts cannot be justified by any political ends. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is following the developments closely, and is consulting with its international partners continuously through the appropriate channels.