Inter Faith

What does it mean to be an 'Ecumenical Chaplaincy'?

^UPDATED

^{chaplaincy@lboro.ac.uk}

INTER FAITH, CULTURAL FESTIVALS AND EVENTS, NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL OBSERVANCES CALENDAR - 2008

This document contains information on the primary sacred times for world religions.

It also includes other related information, such as Memorial Days, local events relevant to BME communities etc.

Information on some National Days etc are included as a reflection of the country of origin of some members of BME communities in Leicestershire.

Sacred days/events etc are indicated in bold.

Most important sacred days/events are indicated by capital letters.

Further details on the information included may be found on the relevant websites identified below.

Every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy. Please contact Julian Harrison should you notice any errors or omissions.

The Calendar will be updated as and when necessary and particularly with respect to rectifying any errors or omissions.

Guide:

Sacred days/events

Days of national significance

Days of international significance

Days of historical interest

Primary Information taken from the following sources, amongst others:

http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/index.htm

http://www.kidlink.org/KIDPROJ/MCC/index.html

http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/in-your-area/libraries/community-languages/multicultural-events-and-celebration-calendar

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/calendar/index.shtml

http://www.answers.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/Reference_Paper_No_45.doc.htm

http://www.catholic-ew.org.uk/liturgy/Calendar/2007/index.html

http://www.cre.gov.uk/diversity

http://www.reonline.org.uk

http://www.multiculturalcalendar.com/ecal/countryindex.php?lang=en&s=ste-ucsf&year=2008&page=1

http://www.multiculturalcalendar.com/ecal/religiousindex.php?lang=en&s=ste-ucsf&year=2008

http://www.hinduism.co.za/newpage3.htm

http://www.spiritrestoration.org/Church/Holidays/Christian_Holy_Days_2008.htm

http://www.unac.org/en/news_events/un_days/international_days.asp

Produced by Julian Harrison (Senior Policy Officer, Community Planning, Chief Executive's Department)

Contact Details:

Policy Team, Chief Executive's Department, Room G49, Leicestershire County Council, County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8RA

Tel: 0116 305 7018

Email: jnharrison@leics.gov.uk

Updated: 06/11/07

JANUARY		2008
Date	Day	Sacred Time/Event etc	Faith/Nation etc	Other Info
01/01/2008	Tuesday	Circumcision	Christian	Marks the day when Jesus was circumcised.
		New Years Day	Multinational	Start of the Western Calendar Year.
		Shogatsu	Shinto	New Year.
		Festival of St Basil the Great	Orthodox Christian	St Basil (otherwise known as Basil of Caesarea) was a leading churchman of the 4th Century and Bishop of Caesarea. He is considered a saint in the Eastern Churches and died on this day in the year 379.
		Independence Day	Haiti	First commemorated in 1804.
		Independence Day	Sudan	Sudan achieved independence in 1956.
		Independence Day	Brunei	Commemoration of independence from the UK in 1984.
		Founding Day	Republic of China (Taiwan)	The Republic of China was founded on this day in 1912.
		Calennig	Wales	Welsh New Year celebration involving the traditional giving of gifts and money.
		Liberation Day	Cuba	Commemoration of Fidel Castro's opposition to the Batista regime in 1953.
		New Year's Concert	Austria	Takes place on 1st January every year in Vienna. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra primarily plays music by the Strauss family.
		New Year's Day Parade	UK (London)	An annual charitable event attracting 10,000 performers through the streets of West London. First occurred in 1987.
		Czech Independence Day (Den obnovy samostatného českého státu)	Czech Republic	Re-establishment of the independent Czech Republic in 1993.
		Slovak Republic	Slovakia	Re-establishment of the independent Slovak Republic in 1993.
		Last Day of Kwanzaa	USA, Africa	Kwanzaa aims to strengthen African cultural identity and community values. For further info: http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.shtml
		World Day of Peace	Multinational	A global campaign for One Day In Peace on 1st January 2000 helped inspire a UN Resolution and a joint United States Congressional Resolution, inviting the first day of the New Year to be celebrated every year as a day of peace and sharing. The day is traditionally commemorated by a message from His Holiness the Pope.
		Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God	Catholic Christian	A celebration of the motherhood of Mary, both divine and virginal.
03/01/2008	Thursday	Feast Day of St Genevieve	Christian	Patron Saint of Paris.
04/01/2008	Friday	Ogoni Day	Nigeria	The Ogoni are one of many indigenous peoples from the South Eastern area of Nigeria.
		Independence Day	Myanmar (Burma)	Commemoration of independence from the UK in 1948.
05/01/2008	Saturday	Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh	Sikh	According to the Nanakshahi Calendar. Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth and last of the Sikh Gurus.
		Twelfth Night	Christian	Traditional end of the Christmas period (the Twelve Days of Christmas).
		Twelfth Night	Pagan	The end of Yule and a celebration of the returning Sun God's coming of age and rejuvenation of the Goddess.
06/01/2008	Sunday	Epiphany	Christian	Celebrates the visit by the magi (wise men) to the infant Jesus.
		CHRISTMAS DAY (Ethiopian)	Rastafarian	Celebration of the ceremonial birthday of Haile Selassie.
		CHRISTMAS DAY (Armenian Orthodox)	Christian	Many Eastern Orthodox and Armenian churches still use the Julian, as opposed to the Gregorian calendar. As a consequence Christmas and other fixed festivals are celebrated thirteen days after the Western churches, so the 6th and 7th January in the Orthodox calendar equate to 24th and 25th December in the Western calendar.
		Theophany	Christian	Orthodox churches mark the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the River Jordan.
		Christmas Eve (Orthodox)	Orthodox Christian
		Little Christmas/Nollaig Bheag	Ireland	Also known as Women's Christmas - a traditional day in Ireland (particularly in the Cork area) for men to undertake all the household chores.
		Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings)	Christian	See Epiphany.
07/01/2008	Monday	CHRISTMAS DAY (Orthodox)	Orthodox Christian	Use of the Julian rather than the Gregorian calendar (thus 13 days later).
		Feast of the Nativity	Orthodox Christian	Combines both the incarnation and re-creation of Christ in the world.
		Anglo-Irish Treaty ratification	Ireland	On this day in 1922, the Dáil Éireann ratified the Anglo-Irish Treaty by a 64-57 vote, precipitating the Irish Civil War.
		Nanakusa (Seven Herbs Festival)	Japan	The long-standing Japanese custom of eating seven-herb kayu (rice porridge or scoop) on Jinjitsu (one of the five season festivals). This ensures good health for the coming year.
08/01/2008	Tuesday		USA	On this day in 1867, African American men were given the right to vote in the District of Columbia.
		African National Congress	South Africa	The African National Congress (ANC) was established on this day in 1912.
09/01/2008	Wednesday	Martyrs' Day	Panama	A holiday in Panama to commemorate the riots against sovereignty of the Panama Canal Zone on this day in 1964.
11/01/2008	Friday	Republic Day	Albania	Commemorates the establishment of Albania in 1946.
		Independence Resistance Day	Morocco	Commemorates the issuing of an independence manifesto by nationalists during French colonial rule, on this day in 1944.
			Bangladesh	East Pakistan is renamed Bangladesh on this day in 1972.
12/01/2008	Saturday	Zanzibar Revolution Day	Tanzania	Commemorates the 1964 revolution, in which the people of Zanzibar revolted against the government who they saw as continuing the line of the recently departed British colonial administration.
		National Youth Day	India	In commemoration of the birth of the philosopher Swami Vivekananda on this day in 1863.
13/01/2008	Sunday	St Hilary's Day	Christian	Traditionally believed to be the coldest day of the year.
		Baptism of the Lord Jesus	Christian	Occurs on the first Sunday after Epiphany.
		Maghi	Sikh	Commemoration of the martyrdom of the Forty immortals (followers of Guru Gobind Singh).
		St Knut's Day	Sweden, Finland	St Knut is better known in the UK as King Canute. He declared that Christmas should be celebrated for twenty days, officially ending the season on 13th January.
14/01/2008	Monday	Makar Sankrant	Hindu	Based on the Sonar rather than Lunar Calendar, and the first Hindu festival of the solar calendar year. Days and nights are of equal duration on this date.
		Pongal	Hindu	Harvest festival originating in Southern India. Lasts for two days and characterised by the making of 'pongal' (a sweet rice dish) which is shared amidst prayers to the Shiva. See www.pongalfestival.org/.
15/01/2008	Tuesday	Martin Luther King Day	USA	Commemorates the date of his birth in 1929. A national holiday in the USA.
		John Chilembwe Day	Malawi	John Chilembwe is considered in Malawi to be a hero for independence. He was an orthodox Baptist educator and an early figure in resistance to colonialism.
		Korean Alphabet Day (Chosŏn'gŭl Day)	North Korea	Commemorates the invention and proclamation of Hangul, the native alphabet of the Korean language. Hangul Day, the South Korean equivalent, takes place on 9th October.
		Makaravilakku	India	Festival in Kerala in India, marked by the appearance of a flame in the hills.
		Jallikattu	India	Occurs as part of the Pongal celebration, Jallikattu is a wild bull taming sport played in Tamil Nadu.
		Adults (Coming of Age) Day (Seijin no hi)	Japanese & Shinto	Commemoration of Japanese young people who have reached the age of 20 during the previous year.
16/01/2008	Wednesday	Shinran Memorial Day	Buddhist	Celebrated by some Buddhists in the Mahayana tradition. Shinran Shonin (1173-1263) founded Jodo Shin-shu, one of the schools of Pure Land Buddhism.
		National Religious Freedom Day	USA	Commemorates the adoption by the Virginia State Assembly of Thomas Jefferson's landmark Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom on this day in 1786.
			Czech Republic & Slovakia	On this day in 1969, student Jan Palach commits suicide by self-immolation in Prague, in protest against Soviet occupation and the relative lack of national resistance.
17/01/2008	Thursday	Toshi-goi-no-Matsuri - Yakuyoke festival	Shinto	Festival linked to rites of passage.
18/01/2008	Friday	Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins	Christian	First celebrated in 1908. Ends on 25th January.
19/01/2008	Saturday	One World Week begins	Multinational	To 27th January. For more information: www.oneworldweeknet. Starting from a small scale project in 1995, this annual event at the University of Warwick has grown rapidly to be regarded as the World’s Largest Student-run International Event, involving 120 nationalities, over 200 volunteers and more than 20,000 participants.
		Feast of Sultán (Sovereignty)	Baha'i	First day of the 17th month of the Baha'i Calendar.
		ASHURA	Islam	Usually begins at sundown the day before. Islamic Holy Day. Shi'ite Muslims regard it as a major festival marking the martyrdom of Hussein, the Prophet's grandson.
20/01/2008	Sunday	St Sebastian's Day	Chile	A Catholic celebration.
		Presidential Inauguration Day	USA	Occurs on 20th January every four years, following a Presidential election.
		Septuagesima Sunday	Christian	Still used in traditional calendars, Septuagesima Sunday is the third Sunday before Lent.
		Peace Sunday	Multinational	See 'World Day of Peace' (1st January 2008).
21/01/2008	Monday	St Agnes	Christian	Patron Saint of girls.
		World Religion Day	Baha'i & Multifaith	Usually begins at sundown the day before. Instituted in 1950 to help promote interfaith understanding and harmony.
		Errol Barrow Day	Barbados	Recognises the Father of the Nation.
		Dia de Nuestra Senora de Altagracia	Dominican Republic	Patron Saint of the Dominican Republic.
22/01/2008	Tuesday	Tu B'shvat	Jewish	Usually begins at sundown the day before. Jewish New Year for Trees.
		Mahayana Buddhist New Year	Buddhist	Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of this date. Celebrated on the first full moon day in January.
23/01/2008	Wednesday		USA	On this day in 1907, Charles Curtis of Kansas becomes the first Native American US Senator.
			USA	The first segment of the mini-series 'Roots' was aired on ABC (American Broadcasting Company) on this day in 1977.
25/01/2008	Friday	St Paul's Day	Christian	A celebration of St Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus.
		Robert Burns Night	UK (Scotland)	Traditional celebration of the poet Robert Burns.
		St Dwynwen's Day	UK (Wales)	Welsh Patron Saint of friendship and love, and therefore the Welsh equivalent of St Valentine. See www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/272/.
		Tatiana Day	Russia	Commemorates St Tatiana, a Christian martyr in 2nd Century Rome. St Tatiana is the Patron Saint of Students, and the day is also therefore Russian Students Day.
			Multinational	The League of Nations was founded on this date in 1919.
26/01/2008	Saturday	Australia Day	Australia	Commemorates the arrival of the English to Australia in 1788. Public Holiday in Australia.
		Republic Day (India)	India	Commemorates India's declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1950.
		Liberation Day	Uganda	Commemorates the events of 26th January 1986 when the National Resistance Movement (NRM) came into power after a successful guerrilla struggle led by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.
		Patriot's Day	Dominican Republic	A celebration of Juan Pablo Duarte (born on 26th January 1814) who fought for his country's independence from Spain.
27/01/2008	Sunday	National Holocaust Memorial Day	Multifaith and Multinational	First UK HMD Day was held in 2001. The date was chosen as the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945. For more information: www.hmd.org.uk. The day is known by other names in other countries, e.g. in Germany it is called 'Gedenktag für die Opfer des Nationalsozialismus' (Commemoration Day for the Victims of National Socialism).
		National Holocaust Memorial Day (Yom HaShoah)	Jewish	As above.
28/01/2008	Monday	St Thomas Aquinas	Christian	Patron Saint of students and theologians, and Doctor of the Church.
		Honen Memorial Day	Buddhist	Honen Bo Genku (1133-1212), or simply Honen, is one of the outstanding figures in the history of Japanese Buddhism, and the founder of Jodo-shu, one of the schools of Pure Land Buddhism
		Poverty Action Week begins	Christian	To 3rd February. An opportunity for local churches to specifically focus on poverty and social justice issues. Organised jointly by Church Action on Poverty and Housing Justice.
		World Leprosy Day	Multinational	For more information: www.leprosymission.org.uk
30/01/2008	Wednesday	Martyr Day	India	Also called Sarvodaya Day. Commemorates Mahatma Gandhi, who was assassinated on this day in 1948.
31/01/2008	Thursday	Birthday of Guru Har Rai	Sikh	According to the Nanakshahi Calendar. Guru Har Rai was the seventh of the Sikh Gurus.

FEBRUARY		2008
Date	Day	Sacred Time/Event etc	Faith/Nation etc	Other Info
01/02/2008	Friday	Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender History Month	UK	First took place in 2005, when over 150 events were organised nationwide.
		US Black History Month	USA
		Unicef Day for Change	Multinational	Theme for 2008 is 'Water and Sanitation in The Gambia'. See www.unicef.org.uk/regions/products/?product=57.
02/02/2008	Saturday	Candlemas - Presentation of Christ in the Temple	Christian	Commemorates the day that Mary took Jesus to the Temple at Jerusalem.
		Purification	Christian	See above.
		Imbolc	Pagan	Celebrates the awakening of the land, the traditional first appearance of snowdrops and the growing power of the Sun (characterised by the ritual of lighting fires). Also called Oimelc and Candlemas, the name 'Imbolc' is of Irish derivation.
		Groundhog Day	USA & Canada	Associated with the length of winter, the tradition relates to whether a groundhog on this day can see it's own shadow (due to weather conditions), thus determining how long winter is still to run.
03/02/2008	Sunday	Heroes' Day	Mozambique	In homage to Eduardo Mondlane, considered by some to be the father of Mozambican independence.
		Fastelavn	Denmark	Celebrated seven weeks before Easter Sunday, Fastelavn is the Danish word for Carnival. Children dress up, play games and gather treats for the traditional Fastelavn feast.
		Setsebun (beginning of Spring)	Shinto/Japan	Also known as Risshun. There are traditional rituals (e.g. the throwing of beans) which have regional variations
		Poverty Action Sunday	Christian	Held on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. Churches across the UK use this day to reflect on poverty. See www.church-poverty.org.uk.
		Transfiguration Sunday	Christian	Commemoration of the experience on Mt Tabor when Jesus' physical appearance became brilliant as his connection with traditional Jewish holy figures became evident to the disciples.
		Four Chaplains Sunday	Interfaith	Commemoration of the event in World War II when four Chaplains of Jewish and Christian traditions (Catholic and Protestant) gave their life jackets to others as a troop ship sank in the Atlantic Ocean.
04/02/2008	Monday	Independence Day	Sri Lanka	Commemorates independence from the UK in 1948.
		Lichun begins	Chinese and East Asian	Signifies the beginning of Spring. It is often celebrated with village festivities, worship and thanksgiving. In traditional calendars it is also the first solar term and usually lasts for about two weeks.
05/02/2008	Tuesday	Kashmir Day	Pakistan	A public holiday in Pakistan. Also known as Solidarity Day.
		Shrove Tuesday	Christian	Pancake Day. The British name of 'Pancake Day' comes from the tradition of making pancakes to use up all the food that could not be eaten during Lent.
			UK	23 Chinese cockle-pickers drown in Morecambe Bay on this day in 2004.
06/02/2008	Wednesday	Waitangi Day	New Zealand	A public holiday in New Zealand held each year on 6th February to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's founding document, on that date in 1840.
		Sami National Day	Scandinavia	Commemorates the first Sámi congress held on this day in 1917 in Trondheim, Norway. The Sami (often called Laplanders) are the indigenous people of Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of Northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia.
		Bob Marley Day	Rastafarian	Bob Marley was born on this day in 1945, and is regarded by many as a prophet of the Rastafari religion.
		Ash Wednesday (Lent begins)	Christian	The beginning of Lent in Western Christian Churches.
07/02/2008	Thursday	CHINESE NEW YEAR (春節 chūnjié)	Confucian / Daoist / Buddhist / Chinese communities	According to the Solar Calendar. The most important event in the Chinese Calendar. 2008 is the Year of the Earth Rat.
		Feast of Mulk (Dominion)	Baha'i	First day of the 18th month of the Baha'i Calendar.
			Russian Federation	On this day in 1990, the Central Committee of the Soviet Communist Party agrees to give up its monopoly of power.
			Europe	The European Union was formed on this day in 1992.
		Independence Day	Grenada	Commemorates independence from the UK in 1974.
08/02/2008	Friday	Parinirvana (Nirvana Day)	Buddhist - Mahayana	Local or regional customs may use a variation of this date. Marks the anniversary of the death of Buddha. (See 15/02/08)
		Start of Losar	Buddhist	The Tibetan New Year. Includes the rededication of the country to Buddhism.
		Prešeren Day	Slovenia	National holiday to commemorate the anniversary of the death of the poet France Prešeren in 1849.
	Monday	National Foundation Day (Kenkoku kinen no hi)	Japan	Commemorates the founding of the nation and the anniversary of the first Emperor's accession to the throne in 660 BC.
		National Youth Day	Cameroon	A celebration of young people in Cameroon.
		National Inventor's Day	USA	Coincides with the birth of Thomas Edison on this day in 1847.
			Iran	Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini seized power in Iran on this day in 1979.
			South Africa	Nelson Mandela is freed in 1990 after 27 years in captivity.
		Our Lady of Lourdes	Christian	Commemorates St Bernadette's vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lourdes in 1818.
		Vasant Panchami	Hindu	Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of this date. Festival marks the beginning of Spring. Dedicated to Saraswati, the goddess of learning and Brahma's wife.
		World Day of the Sick	Multinational	Event devoted to health care and human dignity. 2008 will be the sixteenth World Day of the Sick.
12/02/2008	Tuesday	Red Hand Day	Multinational	Red Hand Day is an annual commemoration day created to draw attention to the fate of children who are forced to serve as soldiers in wars and armed conflicts. For further info: http://www.redhandday.org/
		Darwin Day	Multinational	Commemorates the birth of Charles Darwin on this day in 1809. Darwin Day is a celebration of science and humanity. See www.darwinday.org/.
		National Freedom to Marry Day	USA	A non-official holiday in the USA to promote same-sex marriage.
			USA	The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded on this day in 1909.
14/02/2008	Thursday	St Valentine's Day	Christian	Now a more secularised than sacred occasion.
		Feast Day of St Cyril and St Methodius	Catholic Christian	Patron Saints of Europe. This day is a public holiday in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Macedonia, and Slovakia. It is also celebrated in Russia as a holiday associated with the Saints (who were brothers), who are considered patrons of learning and education.
15/02/2008	Friday	Parinirvana (Nirvana Day)	Buddhist - Mahayana	Local or regional customs may use a variation of this date. (See 08/02/08).
		Flag Day	Canada	Commemorates the day that the Canadian flag was first raised.
		Sretenje (National Day)	Serbia	A commemoration of the First Serbian Uprising of 1804 and the proclamation of the first Serbian Constitution in 1935. Both occurred on 15th February.
16/02/2008	Saturday	Independence Day (Nepriklausomybės diena)	Lithuania	Commemoration of independence from German, Prussian, Austrian and Russian occupation in 1918 and the re-establishment of the Lithuanian state.
17/02/2008	Sunday	Triodion begins	Orthodox Christian	Time period leading up to Lent in the Orthodox Christian Church. The Triodion itself is the liturgical book used by Eastern Orthodox Christians during this period.
18/02/2008	Monday	Independence Day	The Gambia	Commemorates independence from the UK in 1965.
21/02/2008	Thursday	International Mother Language Day	Multinational	First proclaimed in 1999.
		The Lantern Festival (元宵節 yuánxiāojié)	Chinese	According to the Solar Calendar. Marks the ending of Chinese New Year, and characterised by children going out at night with lanterns.
			Europe	The first European political party organisation, the European Greens, was established in Rome on this day in 2004.
		Language Martyrs' Day (Shohid Dibôsh)	Bangladesh	Commemoration of the Bengali language struggle in 1952.
22/02/2008	Friday	Independence Day	St Lucia	Commemorates independence from the UK in 1979.
23/02/2008	Saturday	Mashramani	Guyana	A celebration of Guyana's independence from the UK in 1966.
		Day of the Defenders of the Motherland (День защитника отечества)	Russia	Formerly known as Red Army Day.
		National Day	Brunei	Commemorates independence from British protection in 1984.
24/02/2008	Sunday	Independence Day (Iseseisvuspäev)	Estonia	Commemorates the foundation of the first Estonian republic in 1918.
		Dragobete	Romania	A Romanian holiday, traditionally seen as a day of protection from fever and a day for picking flowers for courting couples.
25/02/2008	Monday	National Day	Kuwait	Commemoration of the creation of Kuwait as a nation in 1961.
		People Power Day	The Philippines	Commemorates the events on this day in 1986, when President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines fled after 21 years of rule. Corazon Aquino became the first Filipino woman President.
		Fair Trade Fortnight begins	Multinational	Until 9th March. An annual campaign aimed at increasing awareness of the FAIRTRADE Mark among consumers. See www.fairtrade.org.uk/.
			Multinational	On this day in 2006, the world's population reached 6.5 billion.
26/02/2008	Tuesday	Intercalary Days (Ayyám-i-Há) begin	Baha'i	Until 1st March. Baha'i insertion of days into the calendar in order to maintain their solar calendar. Days of service and gift-giving.
		Saviour's Day	Nation of Islam	A holiday of the Nation of Islam (NOI) and the Nation of Gods and Earths. It celebrates the birthdate of Wallace Fard Muhammad, whom the NOI believe to have been Allah in human form, the Saviour of the Black race.
		Liberation Day	Kuwait	Commemoration of the liberation of Kuwait on this day in 1991 by a multi-national force following Iraqi occupation.
27/02/2008	Wednesday	Independence Day (Dominican Republic)	Dominican Republic	Commemoration of independence in 1844.

MARCH		2008
Date	Day	Sacred Time/Event etc	Faith/Nation etc	Other Info
01/03/2008	Saturday	St David of Wales Day	Christian	Patron Saint of Wales.
		Sam-il-chol (South Korea)	South Korea	Independence 'Movement' Day, commemorating independence from Japan in 1919.
		Baba Marta	Bulgaria	Traditional Bulgarian custom celebrating the beginning of Spring. Also known as Martenitsa.
		Mărţişor	Romania and Moldova	Traditional celebration of the beginning of Spring.
		Independence Day (Dan nezavisnosti)	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Commemoration of independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992.
		World Civil Defence Day	Multinational	Commemorates the entry into force in 1972 of the International Civil Defence Organisation (ICDO) Constitution as an inter-governmental organisation.
02/03/2008	Sunday	Start of Nineteen Day Fast	Baha'i	Ends on 20th March. The fast is a time for reflection and making an effort to detach from material desires.
		Meatfare Sunday	Orthodox Christian	For Orthodox Christians, the last day for the eating of meat prior to Lent.
		Feast of 'Alá (Loftiness)	Baha'i	First day of the 19th month of the Baha'i Calendar.
		Mothering Sunday	Christian	Simnel Sunday/Mid-Lent Sunday. Secularised as Mothering Sunday.
03/03/2008	Monday	MAGHA PUJA DAY	Buddhist	Local or regional customs may use a variation of this date. Marks the day that Buddha addressed a meeting of 1250 arahants (enlightened saints).
		Liberation Day (Den na osvobozhdenieto)	Bulgaria	Commemorates liberation from the Ottoman Empire in 1878.
		Maslenitsa	Russia	A Russian week-long folk holiday dating back to pagan times, involving the making of pancakes and traditional activities such as sleigh rides. See www.maslenitsa.com/english/.
			India	On this day in 1939, Mahatma Gandhi begins to fast in protest of autocratic rule in India.
		Martyr's Day	Malawi	Commemorates the death of 40 people in an uprising against the Federation (British colonial rule) in 1959.
		Hina-matsuri - Festival of Dolls	Shinto, Japan	A celebration of daughters, characterised by the displaying of dolls.
04/03/2008	Tuesday	Feast Day of Rhiannon	UK (Wales)	Celtic Moon Goddess.
05/03/2008	Wednesday	St Piran's Day	Christian	Patron Saint of Cornwall as well as tin miners. The Cornish flag is also the flag of St Piran, and may have been inspired by the legend that Piran discovered the process for smelting tin: black rock with a white cross of pure metal.
		Learn from Lei Feng Day	China	A day of community activities in China. Lei Feng was a selfless and modest soldier in the People's Liberation Army, portrayed as a role model.
06/03/2008	Thursday	Independence Day	Ghana	Commemorates independence from Britain in 1957.
		World Book Day	UK and Ireland	A promotion of books and reading, particularly to children. This date only applies to UK and Ireland - most other countries hold World Book Day on 23rd April. See www.worldbookday.com/.
		Maha Shivaratri	Hindu	Local or regional customs may use a variation of this date. Festival dedicated to Shiva, one of the deities of the Hindu Trinity, that involves fasting and the keeping of vigils. See www.mahashivratri.org/.
07/03/2008	Friday	The Women's World Day of Prayer	Christian	Dates from 1887, and observed on the first Friday in March. Celebrated in more than 170 countries.
08/03/2008	Saturday	International Women's Day	Multinational	First commemorated in 1911. Mother's Day is also commemorated in Albania and Romania on this day.
09/03/2008	Sunday	Cheesefare Sunday	Orthodox Christian	Also known as Forgiveness Sunday. It is called Cheesefare Sunday as from canonical prescription it is the last day until Pascha that cheese, eggs and dairy can be consumed.
10/03/2008	Monday	Clean Monday (Lent begins)	Orthodox Christian	The beginning of Lent for Orthodox Christians. Lent is the period Jesus spent in the wilderness.
		Commonwealth Day	Commonwealth nations	Observed on the second Monday in March. The purpose of Commonwealth Day is to promote understanding and co-operation at a global level and the work of the Commonwealth as a collection of nations.
		National Uprising Day	Tibet	Commemoration of the unsuccessful uprising against ten years of Chinese occupation in Lhasa in 1959, during which thousands were massacred by the occupying Chinese army.
11/03/2008	Tuesday	Day of Restitution of Independence of Lithuania	Lithuania	Commemorates independence from the USSR in 1990.
		Youth Day	Zambia	Commemorates the involvement of young people in the liberation of Zambia from colonial rule.
		Moshoeshoe Day	Lesotho	Commemorates the founder of Lesotho, King Moshoeshoe I, who died on this day in 1870.
12/03/2008	Wednesday	National Day	Mauritius	Commemorates independence from Britain in 1968.
		Birthday of Sri Ramakrishna	Hindu	Sri Ramakrishna (1836 - 1886) was the most revered saint in Bengal and was declared an incarnation of God during his own lifetime.
		Namesday of Crown Princess Victoria (Kronprinsessans namnsdag)	Sweden	An official Flag Day in Sweden.
		Arbor Day	China	A day for the planting of trees and to promote the importance of nature.
			UK (Scotland)	On this day in 1881, Andrew Watson made his Scotland debut as the world's first black international football player and captain.
			India	Mahatma Gandhi leads a 200-mile march to the sea in defiance of British opposition, to protest about the British monopoly on salt on this day in 1930.
13/03/2008	Thursday	Birthday of L. Ron Hubbard	Scientology	The founder of Scientology. Born in 1911.
14/03/2008	Friday	The Summer Day (Dita e Verës)	Albania	Ratified by Parliament in 2004 as an official holiday.
		White Day	Japan and Korea	A Japanese and Korean complement to St Valentine's Day, though with the onus on men who have received gifts on 14th February to reciprocate one month later on White Day.
		Sikh New Year's Day	Sikh	First day of Chet, the first month of the Sikh Nanakshahi calendar. 2008 is year 540 in the Sikh Nanakshahi calendar.
15/03/2008	Saturday	International Day Against Police Brutality	Multinational	Originated in Switzerland in 1997.
		World Consumer Rights Day	Multinational	An international celebration within the consumer market, and a promotion of consumer rights.
		Constitution Day (Dzień Kanstytucyji)	Belarus	Constitution adopted in 1994.
		Commemoration of the 1848 Revolution	Hungary	National Day (Nemzeti ünnep) in Hungary. Commemorates the anniversary of the democratic revolution against the Hapsburgs.
		Hounen Matsuri	Japan	Harvest Festival' in the Japanese language. Hounen Matsuri is a fertility festival.
16/03/2008	Sunday	Palm/Passion Sunday	Christian	The beginning of Holy Week. Marks the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem.
		Sunday of Orthodoxy	Orthodox Christian	First Sunday of Lent in the Orthodox Church. A celebration of the restoration of icons to the Church.
		St Urho's Day	Finland	Patron Saint of Finland. Traditionally, St Urho rid vineyards of grasshoppers.
			USA	On this day in 1995, Mississippi formally ratified the Thirteenth Amendment, becoming the last US state to approve the abolition of slavery.
		Halabja Commemoration	Iraqi Kurdish	Commemoration of the poison gas attack by Iraqi Government forces in Halabja in 1988 which killed many people (estimates range from several hundred to 7,000).
17/03/2008	Monday	St Patrick's Day	Christian	Patron Saint of Ireland.
		Republic of Ireland National Day	Republic of Ireland	Coincides with St Patrick's Day.
18/03/2008	Tuesday	Flag Day	Aruba	The national flag of Aruba (a 32 km island in the Lesser Antilles and part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) was adopted on this day in 1976.
		Expropiación Petrolera	Mexico	Meaning 'Oil expropriation', this is one of Mexico's national holidays, celebrating a presidential declaration that oil reserves on Mexican soil belong to the nation.
19/03/2008	Wednesday	St Joseph's Day	Christian	St Joseph was the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
		Spy Wednesday / Holy Wednesday	Christian	The Wednesday of Holy Week. Commemorates the activities of Judas.
		Chetra Navratras begins	Hindu	Festival honouring the Great Goddess Maha Devi. Characterised by nine days of fasting.
20/03/2008	Thursday	Maundy Thursday	Christian	The day of the Last Supper and the establishment of Eucharist.
		Spring Equinox - Eoster	Pagan	A celebration of Spring and the renewed life of the Earth. Commemorated on the day when the length of the day and night are equal. Traditional rituals include the planting of seeds and activities relating to eggs.
		Mawlid an Nabi (Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad)	Islam	Usually begins at sundown the day before. Shia Muslims celebrate this five days later (see 25/03/08). Some Muslims do not approve of celebrating the birthday, and regard doing so as a religious innovation.
		Vernal Equinox	Japan	Commemorates the beginning of Spring.
21/03/2008	Friday	NOROOZ (New Year)	Persian/Zoroastrian	The beginning of Spring.
		NAW-RUZ (New Year)	Baha'i	A celebration of the beginning of Spring. Naw-Rúz is the first day of the month of Baha which is the first month in the Bahá'í calendar. Usually begins at sundown the day before.
		Purim	Jewish	Usually begins at sundown the day before. Commemorates the saving of the Jewish people in Persia by the courage of Esther.
		Holi	Hindu	Hindu Spring festival. Also called the 'Festival of Colours'. Local or regional customs may use a variation of this date.
		GOOD FRIDAY	Christian	Commemoration of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
		International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination	Multinational	Held on this day in commemoration of the Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa in 1960.
		Week of Solidarity with the People's Struggling Against Racism and Racial Discrimination begins	Multinational	Called for by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979. Coincides with the anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960.
		World Down Syndrome Day	Multinational	Held to promote awareness of 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.
		Harmony Day	Australia	Coincides with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
		Human Rights Day	South Africa	Instituted in 1994 on the occasion of Nelson Mandela and the ANC's election to power..
		Jamshedi Noruz (Fasli & Qadimi)	Zoroastrian	Zoroastrian New Year in the Fasli and Qadimi calendars.
		Shubun-sai - Equinox Day	Shinto	Also associated with Buddhism in Japan. Characterised by the visiting of graves.
		Sham al-Naseem	Egypt	Literally means 'the smell of Spring'. A picnic observed by Muslims and Christians commemorates the day.
		Mother's Day	Lebanon, Egypt etc	Commemorated in most Arab Nations on 21st March. In Egypt, this involves the annual selection of an 'ideal mother'.
		Independence Day	Namibia	Commemorates independence from the South African mandate in 1990.
			USA	Martin Luther King Jr leads 3,200 people on the start of the third and finally successful civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, on this day in 1965.
			Germany	On this day in 1933, Dachau, the first Nazi Concentration Camp, was completed.
22/03/2008	Saturday	World Day for Water	Multinational	Designated by a United Nations General Assembly resolution in 1992.
		Lent ends	Christian	Lent ends on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter Sunday. It lasts in total for 40 days (not counting Sundays).
		Holy Saturday	Christian	The second day that Jesus rested in the tomb.
		Memorial of Christ's Death	Jehovah's Witness Christian	The only religious festival marked by Jehovah's Witnesses.
		Hola Mohalla	Sikh	According to the Lunar calendar. A three day festival of military exercises and mock battles, together with religious discussions and devotional music.
23/03/2008	Sunday	EASTER	Christian	A celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
		Pakistan Day (Yom-e-Pakistan)	Pakistan	Commemorates the anniversary of the resolution for the independent Muslim state of Pakistan. In 1956 Pakistan becomes the world's first Islamic republic.
24/03/2008	Monday	World Tuberculosis Day	Multinational	Held to raise awareness of the fact that tuberculosis remains an epidemic in many areas of the world. See www.stoptb.org/events/world_tb_day/.
			Canada	On this day in 1837, African men are given the right to vote in Canada.
25/03/2008	Tuesday	Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary	Christian	Marks the angel Gabriel's message to the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to the incarnation of Christ. It also celebrates the incarnation itself as the date falls nine months before Christmas.
		Mawlid an Nabi (Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad)	Islam	(See 20/03/08). Usually begins at sundown the day before.
			Christian & other faiths	The traditional date of the death (circa 33) of Jesus (b. circa 1 BC in traditional dating).
			UK (England and Wales)	Traditional date of the start of the new year until the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar in 1752.
		International Waffle Day	Sweden	Known in Sweden as 'Våffeldagen'. Celebrated with the eating of waffles, the day is associated with the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary ('Our Lady's Day is nominally similar in some dialects to 'Waffle Day'!).
		Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade	UK	Commemorates the passing on 25th March 1807 of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Bill in Parliament.
		Freedom Day	Belarus	Commemoration of the creation in 1918 of the Belarusian People's Republic.
		Independence Day	Greece	Commemoration of independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829.
26/03/2008	Wednesday	Khordad Sal (Birth of Prophet Zarathushtra)	Zoroastrian	According to the Fasli Calendar. Zarathushtra was a Persian prophet who founded the Zoroastrian religion in the 6th Century BC.
		Independence Day (Shadhinota Dibôsh)	Bangladesh	Commemoration of independence from Pakistan in 1971 following a nine-month long war (Mukti Juddha or the Bangladesh Liberation War).
27/03/2008	Thursday	Victory Day	Angola	Not an official recognised holiday, but nevertheless popular and observed.
		World Theatre Day	Multinational	Created in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute.
29/03/2008	Saturday	Youth Day	Taiwan	A time to remind young people of their country's past and of heroic accomplishments.
			USA	On this day in 1799, the state of New York passes a law aimed at gradually abolishing slavery.
		Memorial Day	Madagascar	Commemoration of the 1947 revolt against French colonisation.
30/03/2008	Sunday	Spiritual Baptist Shouter Liberation Day	Trinidad & Tobago	Celebrates the repeal of laws banning the Spiritual Baptist faith.
		Youm al-Ard (Palestinian Land Day)	Palestinian	Commemorates the killing of six Palestinians in the Galilee on this day 1976 by Israeli troops during protests over the confiscation of Palestinian lands.
31/03/2008	Monday	Freedom Day (Jum il-Ħelsien)	Malta	Commemorates the withdrawal of British troops from Malta in 1979.

APRIL		2008
Date	Day	Sacred Time/Event etc	Faith/Nation etc	Other Info
01/04/2008	Tuesday	Greek Cypriot National Day	Cyprus	Commemoration of the national uprising of the Cypriot people for self-determination that took place on this day in 1955.
		Islamic Republic Day	Iran	Iran became an Islamic Republic in 1979 by a 98% vote, officially overthrowing the Shah.
			Japan	Traditionally, the official start of the academic year in most universities and schools. Also, the official first day of work at companies and offices for new university graduates, marked by welcoming ceremonies and speeches.
			Republic of Ireland	On this day in 1949, the 26 counties of the Irish Free State became the Republic of Ireland.
		Financial/Fiscal Year	India, Canada	Begins on 1st April.
		April Fools Day	Multinational
02/04/2008	Wednesday	Sizdah-Bedar	Iran	Thirteenth day of the New Year, and marks the end of Norooz. It is a time for Iranians to go to nature and give thanks to the creator of the universe and appreciate the beauty of nature. Also a day for families to be together due to fears of misfortune.
		International Children's Book Day	Multinational	Celebrated on Hans Christian Andersen's birthday to help young children develop an understanding of other cultures through literature.
		Malvinas Day	Argentina	Also known as Day of the Veterans. Commemoration of the dead of the Falklands War which started on 2nd April 1982.
04/04/2008	Friday	Children's Day	Taiwan and Hong Kong	Schools often hold special activities on this day and in Taiwan, the day has been combined with Women's Day.
			USA	Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated on this day in 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.
		International Day for Landmine Awareness and Assistance	Multinational	Declared by the United Nations General Assembly and stemming from the 2005 World Summit.
05/04/2008	Saturday	Ch'ing Ming (清明節 qīngmíngjié)	Chinese	Chinese Festival of Pure Brightness. Also known as 'Remembrance of Ancestors Day' or 'Grave Sweeping Day'. Similar observances in Japan and Korea (Hansik).
		Arbor Day (Sikmogil, 식목일)	South Korea	A public holiday until 2005, though the day is still celebrated. Associated with the planting and care of trees.
			India	On this day in 1930, Mahatma Gandhi broke British law in an act of civil disobedience by marching to the sea and making salt.
		Tomb Sweeping Day	Republic of China (Taiwan)	See Ch'ing Ming (above). This day also coincides with the anniversary of the death of Chiang Kai-shek in 1975.
06/04/2008	Sunday	Bikarami Samvat - Varsha-Pratipada	Hindu	Hindu Spring New Year celebrated in Southern India in particular. Also called Yugaadi.
		Scottish Independence Day	Scotland	A commemoration of the Declaration of Arbroath of 1320 which formally recognised Scottish independence from England and the crowning of Robert the Bruce as King of Scotland.
		Tartan Day	Scotland	Celebrates the links between Scotland and Scottish descendants overseas.
		Chakri Day	Thailand	Commemoration of King Rama I, founder of the Chakri dynasty.
			Rwanda	The Rwandan genocide began following the shooting down of the aircraft carrying Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana and Burundian president Cyprien Ntaryamira on this day in 1994.
		Beginning of the Tax Year	UK
07/04/2008	Monday	World Health Day	Multinational	Celebrated by members of the World Health Organisation to emphasise global health issues. First observed in 1948.
			Czech Republic	The oldest university in Central Europe, Charles University in Prague, was founded on this date in 1348.
		Ougadi	India, Mauritius	The Telegu (or Telugu) New Year. Telegu is a language primarily spoken in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. There is also a diaspora population of Telegu speakers in Mauritius.
		Women's Day	Mozambique	Commemorates Josina Machel, who died on this day in 1970 in armed combat fighting Portuguese forces. A day to celebrate women's achievements in Mozambique and to reflect on their fight for equal rights.
08/04/2008	Tuesday	Roma Nation Day	Multinational	A celebration of the 30th anniversary of the First World Romani Congress (held in Britain in 1971).
09/04/2008	Wednesday	Day of National Unity	Georgia	National holiday to commemorate the events of 9th April 1989 when anti-Soviet demonstrations where quelled by the Soviet Army leading to the death of 20 people.
		Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valour)	The Philippines	Also known as 'Bataan Day', it commemorates captured soldiers taken by Japanese forces during the Bataan Death March in the Second World War in 1942.
		Feast of Jalál (Glory)	Baha'i	First day of the second month of the Baha'i Calendar.
11/04/2008	Friday	Juan Santamaría Day	Costa Rica	Commemorates the death on this day in 1856 of Juan Santamaría, the national hero of Costa Rica.
12/04/2008	Saturday	Yuri's Night	Multinational	Commemoration of the first human being in space (Yuri Gagarin in 1961) and the first Space Shuttle launch (1981). A day to focus on space exploration. Also known as Cosmonautics Day.
			Great Britain	The 'Union Jack' was adopted as the official flag of Great Britain on this day in 1606.
13/04/2008	Sunday	BAISAKHI (VAISAKHI)	Sikh, Hindu	New Year Festival. Also a commemoration of the founding of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh (the tenth Sikh Guru).
		Therevadin Buddhist New Year	Buddhist	New Year festival for Theravada Buddhists celebrated for three days from the first full moon day in April. Regional customs or moon sightings may use a variation of this date.
			Great Britain	On this day in 1829, Parliament granted freedom of religion to Roman Catholics.
		Songkran (Thailand)	Thailand	Thailand's New Year's Day in former times. Consists of three days of parades, beauty contests, traditional meals, water-throwing and colourful costumes. This day is also the first day in the Cambodian New Year.
14/04/2008	Monday	Tamil and Bengali New Years Day	India, Bangladesh	Follow the Hindu zodiac and are celebrated according to the sidereal vernal equinox. The former is celebrated in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and the latter in Bangladesh and the East Indian state of West Bengal.
		Black Day	South Korea	A day for single people to get together, traditionally by eating noodles with black bean sauce.
		Youth Day	Angola	A celebration of Angolan young people. Linked to the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola-Youth Movement or JMPLA, whose Second Congress was held on this day in 1987.
			USA	On this day in 1775, The first abolition society in North America was established. The "Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage" was organized in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush.
		N'Ko Alphabet Day	West Africa	N'Ko refers to a script, a writing system and a literary language for the Mandé languages of West Africa. The script was believed to have been finalised on this day in 1949.
		Ramanavami	Hindu	Local or regional customs may use a variation of this date. Birthday of Lord Rama, an incarnation of Vishnu and the hero of the Ramayana.
		Birthday of Guru Nanak	Sikh	According to the Nanakshahi Calendar. Celebration of the birth of the founder of the Sikh religion in 1469.
		Hola Mohalla	Sikh	According to the Nanakshahi Calendar. Initially a day for Sikhs to practise their military exercises and hold mock battles. Today, Sikhs celebrate by watching and partaking in martial arts parades, led by the nishan sahibs of the Gurdwaras. These are then followed by poetry readings and music.
15/04/2008	Tuesday	Arirang Festival	North Korea	Celebration of the birth of the late Communist leader, Kim Il-sung, on this day in 1912. The festival - which opens with mass games - lasts for two whole months.
		Liberation of Bergen-Belsen	Germany	The Nazi concentration camp was liberated by British and Canadian troops on this day in 1945.
18/04/2008	Friday		Republic of Ireland	Commemoration of the Republic of Ireland Act in which the Irish Free State became a Republic and withdrew from the British Commonwealth. The Act came into force on this day in 1949.
		Army Day (Rouz-e Artesh)	Iran	18th April was designated 'Army Day' in 1980 by the late founder of the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini. Characterised by the parading of army units in front of members of the administration.
		Independence Day	Zimbabwe	Commemorates independence from the UK in 1980.
		MAHAVIRA JAYANTI	Jain	Anniversary of the birth of Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankar and the "founder" of modern Jainism.
		Birthday of Guru Tegh Bahadur	Sikh	According to the Nanakshahi Calendar. Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth of the Sikh Gurus.
		Birthday of Guru Angad Dev	Sikh	According to the Nanakshahi Calendar. Guru Angad Dev was the second of the Sikh Gurus.
19/04/2008	Saturday	Republic Day	Sierra Leone	Commemorates the country becoming a republic in 1971.
		Declaration of Independence Day	Venezuela	Also Day of the Indian.
		Landing of the 33 Patriots	Uruguay	Commemorates the landing of 33 exiles on this day in 1825. They then began a campaign leading to Uruguay's independence.
		Primrose Day	UK	Commemorates the death on this day in 1881 of Benjamin Disraeli. Primroses were his favourite flower, and on this day, they are placed on Disraeli's statue in front of Westminster Abbey in London.
		Lazarus Saturday	Orthodox Christian	A celebration of the resurrection of Lazarus by Jesus.
		Lord's Evening Meal	Jehovah's Witness Christian	A remembrance of Christ's death. This takes place annually on the Jewish equivalent of Nisan 14th.
		Hanuman Jayanti	Hindu	Marks the birthday of the Monkey God, Hanuman. Regional customs or moon sightings may use a variation of this date.
20/04/2008	Sunday	Palm Sunday	Orthodox Christian	See 16/03/2008.
		Pesach (Passover) begins	Jewish	Usually begins at sundown the day before. Commemorates the exodus from Egypt (led by Moses) and the saving of the Children of Israel.
			UK	On this day in 1968, English politician Enoch Powell made his controversial 'Rivers of Blood' speech.
21/04/2008	Monday	FIRST DAY OF RIDVAN	Baha'i	The most important Baha'i festival. A twelve-day festival to celebrate the day when Baha'u'llah said that he was the prophet predicted by the Bab. Usually begins at sundown the day before.
		Anniversary of Haile Selassie's visit to Jamaica.	Rastafarian	Visit of the Emperor of Ethiopia took place in 1966. Rastafarians believe Haile Selassie is God, and that he will return to Africa members of the black community who are living in exile. Also known as Grounation Day.
		Tiradentes	Brazil	A national holiday in Brazil. The day commemorates the hanging in 1792 of Tiradentes, a member of a Brazilian independence movement.
22/04/2008	Tuesday	Discovery Day	Brazil	Portuguese navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral became the first European to sight Brazil on this day in 1500.
23/04/2008	Wednesday	St George's Day	Christian	Patron Saint of England. St George is also Patron Saint of a number of countries, regions and cities including the Aragon region of Spain, Georgia and Moscow.
		International Day of the Book	Multinational	Also known as World Book Day. See 06/03/2008.
		National Sovereignty and Children's Day (Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı)	Turkey	Commemorates the constitution and opening of the first national parliament (the Turkish National Assembly) in Turkey in 1920.
24/04/2008	Thursday	Genocide Remembrance Day	Armenia	To commemorate the victims of the Armenian genocide in the period 1915-1917.
		Easter Rising	Ireland	The Easter Rising instigated by the Irish Republican Brotherhood and also involving the Irish Volunteers and Irish Citizen Army began in Dublin on this day in 1916.
		Republic Day	Gambia	The Gambia became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970.
25/04/2008	Friday	St Mark's Day	Christian	Traditionally believed to be the author of the Gospel of St Mark. Particularly associated with Venice (of whom St Mark is the Patron Saint).
		HOLY FRIDAY	Orthodox Christian	See Good Friday (21/03/2008).
		ANZAC Day	Australia/New Zealand	Commemorates the landing of ANZAC troops in the Dardanelles (Gallipoli) in 1915 during the First World War. A commemoration of the dead of both World Wars.
		Sinai Liberation Day	Egypt (Sinai only)	Commemorates the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Sinai.
		Liberation Day (Liberazione)	Italy	Commemoration of the liberation of Italy from Nazi Germany.
		Liberty Day (Dia da Liberdade)	Portugal	Commemorates the re-establishment of democracy in 1974. Also known as the Carnation Revolution.
26/04/2008	Saturday	Union Day	Tanzania	Commemorates the alliance between Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
		World Intellectual Property Day	Multinational	Established by the World Intellectual Property Organization in 2001 to "raise awareness of the role of intellectual property in our daily lives, and to celebrate the contribution made by innovators and artists to the development of societies across the globe".
27/04/2008	Sunday	Freedom Day	South Africa	It celebrates freedom and commemorates the first democratic post-apartheid elections in 1994, which saw Nelson Mandela elected as President.
		EASTER/PASCHA	Orthodox Christian	See 23/03/2008.
		National War Veteran Day	Finland	Commemoration of the effective ending of the Second World War in Finland, with the last German troops expelled from Finnish Lapland.
			South Africa	On this day in 1950, the Group Areas Act was passed formally segregating races.
			South Africa	On this day in 1994, the first democratic general election took place in South Africa, in which black citizens could vote.
		Day of Uprising Against Occupation (dan upora proti okupatorju)	Slovenia	Marks the establishment of the Liberation Front in 1941 which fought the German, Italian and Hungarian occupation.
28/04/2008	Monday	International Workers' Memorial Day	Multinational	Originated in Canada - commemoration of the anniversary of the Occupational Health and Safety Act in the USA and the day that 28 people were killed in a construction incident in Connecticut, USA.
		Feast of Jamál (Beauty)	Baha'i	First day of the third month of the Baha'i Calendar.
		National Day of Mourning	Canada	The World Day for Safety and Health at Work (also commemorated on 28th April) developed from this Canadian commemoration.
		Festival of Matsu	South East Asia	Matsu is the Taoist Goddess of the Sea and the patron saint protecting East Asian fishermen and sailors.
		National Heroes' Day	Barbados	A public holiday in Barbados.
29/04/2008	Tuesday	Ninth Day of Ridvan	Baha'i	Marks the arrival of Baha'u'llah's family at the Ridvan garden.
		International Dance Day	Multinational	Promoted by the International Dance Council and held since 1982.
		Liberation of Dachau	Germany	The Nazi concentration camp was liberated by US troops on this day in 1945.
			USA	Riots began in Los Angeles on this day in 1992 following the acquittal of police officers charged with excessive force in the beating of Rodney King. Over the next three days 54 people are killed and hundreds of buildings are destroyed.
		Shōwa Day	Japan	A commemoration of the birthday of the Shōwa Emperor (Emperor Hirohito).
30/04/2008	Wednesday	St James the Great Day	Orthodox Christian	Christian recognition of the martyrdom of the Apostle James the Great in 44 AD.
		Reunification Day (Ngày giải phóng)	Vietnam	Commemorates the anniversary of North Vietnamese troops capturing Saigon in 1975, thus bringing the Vietnam War to a close. Also known as Liberation Day or Victory Day.
		Queen's Day (Koninginnedag)	The Netherlands	Celebrated on this date in commemoration of the late Queen-Mother, Juliana. If 30th April is a Sunday, Queen's Day is celebrated on the 29th.
		Flag Day (Konungens födelsedag)	Sweden	Commemoration of the birthday of King Carl XVI Gustav on this day in 1946.
		Children's Day (Día del Niño)	Mexico	It is traditional to give small presents to children in Mexico on this day.
		Walpurgis Night	Germany, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania and the Czech Republic	A welcoming of Spring on the eve of May Day. Celebrated by bonfires.

MAY

2008

Date

Day

Sacred Time/Event etc

Faith/Nation etc

Other Info

01/05/2008

Thursday

Beltane

Pagan

Beltane' is a Celtic word meaning 'fires of Bel' (Bel being a Celtic deity). It is a fire festival that celebrates of the coming of summer and the fertility of the coming year, though Beltane is also associated with courtship and sexuality. Pagans celebrate Beltane with maypole dances, symbolizing the mystery of the Sacred Marriage of Goddess and God.

Ascension of Christ

Christian

Commemorates the last earthly appearance of Jesus Christ following the Resurrection.

International Workers Day

Multinational

Commemorates Haymarket Riot of 1886 in Chicago, USA, and this event's connection to a larger celebration of the social and economic achievements of the international labour movement.

May Day

Multinational

Observed as both the beginning of Spring and as a celebration in honour of workers and workers movements.

Great Britain

The Kingdom of Great Britain was formed by the Act of Union between England and Scotland on this day in 1707.

British Colonies

Slavery was officially abolished in the British colonies on this day in 1834.

National Day of Prayer - USA

Interfaith

Created by an Act of Congress, first proclaimed in 1775. Occurs on the first Thursday in May.

National Love Day

Czech Republic

A Czech tradition is for lovers to kiss by the statute of the poet Karel Hynek Macha (whose best known work is entitled 'Maj' - May) in Prague.

02/05/2008

Friday

Last day of Ridvan

Baha'i

The twelfth day of Ridvan. Marks Baha'u'llah's departure from the Ridvan garden. Usually begins at sundown the day before.

Birthday of Guru Arjan Dev

Sikh

According to the Nanakshahi Calendar. Guru Arjan Dev was the fifth of the Sikh Gurus.

Yom HaSho'ah

Jewish

Usually beings at sundown the day before. Jewish Holocaust Day. Chosen as the closest date in the Jewish Calendar to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1944.

Indonesia National Education Day (Hardiknas)

Indonesia

Initiated by the educationalist Ki Hajar Dewantara (who was born on this day in 1889), the day has been celebrated since 1908.

Flag Day

Poland

Official holiday in Poland to honour the nation's flag. First observed in 2004 and established in order to educate the Polish people about the history and significance of national symbols. Polish diaspora outside Poland and the Polish Senate also observe Polonia Day on May 2nd.

03/05/2008

Saturday

National 3rd May Holiday / Constitution Day (Święto Narodowe Trzeciego Maja / Święto Konstytucji Trzeciego Maja)

Poland

Commemorates the proclamation of the country's 1791 Constitution.

World Press Freedom Day

Multinational

Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993, in recognition of the sacrifices made in the struggle for freedom of the press.

Constitution Memorial Day (Kenpō kinenbi)

Japan

Present Japanese Constitution was laid down on this day in 1947.

Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross

Catholic Christian

Also known as the Feast of the Invention of the True Cross. A commemoration of the cross used in the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

04/05/2008

Sunday

International Fire-fighters' Day

Multinational

Linked to the Feast Day of St Florian (the Patron Saint of Fire-fighters). A day of recognition and support for fire-fighters throughout the world. For more info go to www.iffd.net/.

Dodenherdenking (Remembrance of the Dead)

The Netherlands

A commemoration of all Dutch people who died in wars and conflict since the outbreak of World War Two.

Greenery Day (Midori no hi)

Japan

National holiday in Japan. Originated as a commemoration of the birthday of the Shōwa Emperor, but now commemorates the beginning the Golden Week holiday period. The holiday law established this day for friendship with nature and gratitude for its blessings. Also see 29/04/2008.

Declaration of Independence (Neatkaribas deklaracijas pasludinasanas diena)

Latvia

Commemorates the declaration of independence from the USSR in 1990.

May Fourth Movement

China

First mass movement in China relating to intellectual and socio-political reform. Includes Youth Day and Literary Day.

05/05/2008

Monday

Europe Day

Europe

Observed by the Council of Europe in celebration of its foundation in 1949. Commemorated since 1964. See also 09/05/2008.

International Midwives Day

Multinational

Launched by the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) in 1992, to celebrate midwifery and to bring awareness of the importance of midwives' work to as many people as possible.

Children's Day (Kodomo no hi)

Japan

A national holiday in Japan on the fifth day of the fifth month. It is a day set aside to respect children's personalities and to celebrate their happiness.

Children's Day

South Korea

Moved from May 1st to May 5th in 1946. The day owes it's existence to the social educator, Bang Jung-Hwan.

Martyrs' Day

Albania

Commemorates all who have died in the cause of Albanian freedom, particularly during the Second World War. May 5th is the anniversary of the death of Qemal Stafa, a founding member of the Albanian Communist Party and leader of its youth section.

Indian Immigration Day

Guyana

A national holiday in commemoration in Indian immigration to the country.

Cinco de Mayo

Mexico, USA

A celebration of Mexican heritage and pride, it commemorates an initial victory of Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín over French forces in the Battle of Puebla on this day in 1862.

Liberation Day (Danmarks befrielse)

Denmark

Commemorates the surrender of German forces in Denmark (World War Two) on this day in 1945.

Liberation Day

Ethiopia

Commemorates the return of Emperor Haile Selassie to Addis Ababa in 1941 and the liberation of the country from Italian forces during the Second World War.

Liberation Day (Bevrijdingsdag)

The Netherlands

Commemorates the end of German occupation in 1945. Though celebrated every year, as of 2000, it is an official holiday every five years.

07/05/2008

Wednesday

Radio Day (День радио)

Russia

A commemoration of the development of radio, also known as Communication Workers' Day. It takes place annually on 7th May, to commemorate the day in 1895 on which Alexander Popov successfully demonstrated his invention.

08/05/2008

Thursday

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day

Multinational

Became World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day in 1984. Observed on 8th May commemoration of the birth of Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross on this day in 1848. The origins of the initial Red Cross Day are in the former Czechoslovakia.

VE (Victory in Europe) Day

Multinational

Commemorates the end of the Second World War in Europe through the surrender of German forces.

Akshya Tritiya

Jain

Popular festival and commemoration of the end of a period of fasting. On this day sugar-cane juice is offered to those who have fasted throughout the year.

India

On this day in 1933, Mahatma Gandhi began a 21-day fast in protest against British oppression in India.

Yom Ha'atzmaut

Israel

Israeli Independence Day, commemorating the creation of the Israeli Free State in 1948.

Den osvobození (Liberation Day)

Czech Republic

In commemoration of the end of the Second World War and the liberation of the former Czechoslovakia.

09/05/2008

Friday

Europe Day

Europe

Adopted as Europe Day by the European Union in 1985 to commemorate the Schuman Declaration.

Victory Day

Russia

Commemoration of the end of the Second World War (known in Russia as the 'Great Patriotic War')

Victory Day

Armenia

A commemoration of war veterans and war dead, coinciding with the anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

Independence Day

Romania

Commemoration of independence from The Ottoman Empire in 1877.

Liberation Day

Jersey, Guernsey

Commemorates the end of German occupation of the Channel Islands in 1945.

10/05/2008

Saturday

Nelson Mandela Presidency

South Africa

Nelson Mandela became President of South Africa on this day in 1994, the country's first Black President.

World Fair Trade Day

Multinational

An international celebration of Fair Trade, first observed in 2005.

11/05/2008

Sunday

Pentecost - Whitsun

Christian

Commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and the birth of the Christian Church.

Christian Aid Week begins

Christian

A week of fundraising, prayer and action for the world's poor.

12/05/2008

Monday

International Nurses Day

Multinational

Held on this day in commemoration of the birthday of Florence Nightingale in 1820.

Day of Finnishness (suomalaisuuden päivä)

Finland

Commemorates the birth of Johan Vilhelm Snellman, an influential philosopher and statesman, born on this day in 1806.

13/05/2008

Tuesday

13 May Incident

Malaysia

Commemorates the Sino-Malay race riots that began in Kuala Lumpur on this day in 1969.

Rotuma Day

Fiji

An annual celebration on the Fijian island dependency of Rotuma. 13th May is the anniversary of the island's cession to the UK in 1881.

14/05/2008

Wednesday

Flag Day

Paraguay

Commemorates independence from Spain on this day in 1811.

15/05/2008

Thursday

International Day of Families

Multinational

Proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly on 20th September 1993.

Independence Day

Paraguay

Celebrations begin the previous day (see Flag Day).

Day of the Slovenian Armed Forces (Dan Slovenske vojske)

Slovenia

Nakba Day (Palestinian)

Palestinian people, Arab states

Commemoration by the Palestinian people of the creation of the state of Israel in 1948.

16/05/2008

Friday

Feast Day of St Brendan

Christian

An early Irish monastic Saint, known as St Brendan of Clonfert, the 'Navigator' or the 'Voyager'.

Middlesex Day

In commemoration of the role of the Middlesex Regiment in the Battle of Albuera (May 16th 1811) during the Peninsular War.

17/05/2008

Saturday

National Day/Constitution Day

Norway

Commemorates the signing of the Constitution in 1814. Also known as 'syttende mai'.

Feast of 'Azaamat (Grandeur)

Baha'i

First day of the fourth month of the Baha'i Calendar.

International Day Against Homophobia

Multinational

Begun in 2005. May 17 was chosen as the day of the event because homosexuality was removed from the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organisation on May 17th 1990.

18/05/2008

Sunday

Somaliland Independence Day

Somalia

Independence of Somaliland (the northern region of Somalia) declared in 1991.

All Saints Day

Orthodox Christian

Western Christian Churches commemorate All Saints on 1st November.

Trinity Sunday

Christian

The first Sunday after Pentecost. A reflection of the Holy Trinity.

19/05/2008

Monday

Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day (Atatürk'ü Anma, Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı)

Turkey

Commemoration of the beginning of the national liberation movement initiated in 1919 by Atatürk’s landing in Samsun. Dedicated to young people.

Commemoration of Pontian Greeks Genocide

Greece

The Pontic Greek Genocide refers to the fate of Pontic Greeks during and in the aftermath of World War I. It is a controversial term. For further info go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontic_Greek_Genocide

Victoria Day

Canada

Celebration of the anniversary of the birth of Queen Victoria in 1819, characterised by firecrackers. Always occurs on the Monday on or before 24th May.

Malcolm X Day

Multinational

Malcolm X, the American Black Muslim Civil Rights activist, was born on this day in 1925.

20/05/2008

Tuesday

National Day

Cameroon

Republic declared and constitution ratified in 1972.

National Day

East Timor

East Timor became the first sovereign state of the 21st Century on this day in 2002.

BUDDHA DAY - VISAKHA PUJA

Buddhist

The most important of the Buddhist festivals. A celebration of Buddha's birth - and, for some Buddhists, his death. Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of this date.

21/05/2008

Wednesday

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development

Multinational

Proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2001 as an opportunity to deepen understanding of the values of cultural diversity.

Navy Day (Día de las Glorias Navales)

Chile

A public holiday in Chile, the day is a commemoration of the Iquique Naval Combat on this day in 1879, in the War of the Pacific.

Día de la Afrocolombianidad

Columbia

Commemorates the abolition of slavery in Columbia in 1851.

22/05/2008

Thursday

National Day/Unification Day

Yemen

The new state came into being in 1990.

National Maritime Day

USA

Commemorates the voyage of the steamship 'The Savannah' which set sail on this day in 1819 from Savannah, Georgia on the first successful transoceanic voyage under steam propulsion.

National Heroes Day

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka became a republic on this day in 1972.

Lag B'Omer

Jewish

Jewish observation of the counting of the day - the link - between Pesach and Shavout. Begins at sunset.

Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Catholic Christian

Formerly called the Feast of Corpus Christ. A special celebration to commemorate the mystery of the Mass where the outward elements of bread and wine undergo a change called transubstantiation. It is believed that these elements are transformed into the Real Presence of the body and blood of Christ. Occurs on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday.

World Biodiversity Day

Multinational

Sanctioned by the United Nations as a day for the promotion of biodiversity issues.

23/05/2008

Friday

Declaration of the Bab

Baha'i

Usually begins at sundown the day before. The Bab was the Forerunner of Baha'u'llah, founder of the Baha'i faith. His mission was to prepare the world for the coming of Baha'u'llah and he declared it in the evening of 22nd May 1844.

Birthday of Guru Amar Das

Sikh

According to the Nanakshahi Calendar. Guru Amar Das was the third of the Sikh Gurus.

24/05/2008

Saturday

Aldersgate Day

Methodism

Commemoration of the day in 1738 when John Wesley experienced his conversion in a meeting room in Aldersgate Street, London.

St Sarah

Christian, France

An important day for Roma people in France. St Sarah (who is venerated by the Roma people) is commemorated in the Camargue area of Southern France.

Bermuda Day

Bermuda

A celebration of Bermuda's heritage and cultural pride. Originally linked to Queen Victoria, it became Bermuda Day in the 1970's, and now marks the beginning of summer.

National Day

Eritrea

Commemoration of independence from Ethiopia in 1993.

St Cyril and Methodius Day

Bulgaria, Macedonia, Russia

A national holiday in Bulgaria. Also known as Day of Culture and Literacy.

25/05/2008

Sunday

African Unity Day

African continent

Alternatively named African Liberation Day. Instigated by the Organisation of African Unity, the day is a commemoration of the post-war liberation struggles leading to the continent's liberation from colonial domination. In Lesotho, Africa Day will be celebrated together with Heroes Day, which used to be on April 4.

Corpus Christi

Catholic Christian

Celebrates the "real presence of Christ in the Eucharist". The festival falls on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday.

National Day/May Revolution Day

Argentina

Commemorates the first attempt at independence in 1810.

Liberation Day

Lebanon

Commemorates the withdrawal in 2000 of Israeli forces from most areas of Lebanese territory.

National Day

Jordan

Commemorates independence from Britain in 1946. Also commemorated as Arab Renaissance Day.

26/05/2008

Monday

National Day

Georgia

Commemorates independence from Soviet Russia in 1918.

National Sorry Day

Australia

Held every year since 1998, it acknowledges the wrongs committed on the indigenous Aboriginal people.

Memorial Day

USA

Commemoration of those Americans who have died for their country. Began shortly after the end of the American Civil War. Observed on the last Monday in May.

Independence Day

Guyana

Commemorates independence from the UK in 1966.

27/05/2008

Tuesday

Children's' Day

Nigeria

Schoolchildren have a holiday on this day.

28/05/2008

Wednesday

Republic Day

Azerbaijan, Armenia

Both countries commemorate their independence on this day in 1918 from the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic.

29/05/2008

Thursday

ASCENSION OF BAHA'U'LLAH

Baha'i

The anniversary of Baha'u'llah's death in in 1892. Usually begins at sundown the day before.

Oak Apple Day

Commemorated in some places in the UK (e.g. some Oxford and Cambridge colleges), Oak Apple Day relates to the restoration of the monarchy in Britain and Ireland in May 1960.

Democracy Day

Nigeria

Commemoration of the return to democracy in 1999 when Olusegun Obasanjo became President.

International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers

Multinational

Designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2002 to honour those who have served as peacekeepers and those who have given their lives in the cause of peace.

30/05/2008

Friday

Indian Arrival Day

Trinidad & Tobago

Commemorates the arrival of the first Indentured labourers from India in 1845.

31/05/2008

Saturday

Feast of the Visitation

Catholic Christian

A celebration of the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, first commemorated at the beginning of the 13th Century.

World No Tobacco Day

Multinational

Created in 1987 by the Members States of the World Health Organisation to draw attention to the harm caused to health by tobacco.

Godiva Procession

Commemorates the legendary ride of Lady Godiva through the streets of Coventry.

JUNE		2008
Date	Day	Sacred Time/Event etc	Faith/Nation etc	Other Info
01/06/2008	Sunday	Madaraka Day	Kenya	Commemoration of the attainment of Kenyan self-rule in 1964. Jomo Kenyatta became the republic's first President.
		Constitution Day	Tunisia	The Constitution of Tunisia was promulgated on this day in 1959.
		Independence Day	Samoa	Commemoration of the independence of Western Samoa from New Zealand in 1962.
02/06/2008	Monday	Republic Day (Festa della Repubblica)	Italy	Italian republic established in 1946.
			Poland	On this day in 1979, Pope John Paul II visited his native Poland, becoming the first Pope to visit a Communist country.
04/06/2008	Wednesday	International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression	Multinational	Designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 1982 in response to the deaths of Palestinian and Lebanese children.
		Independence Day	Tonga	Commemorates independence from the UK in 1970.
		National Flag Day of the Finnish Defence Forces	Finland	Held on 4th June in remembrance of Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, Commander-in-Chief of Finland's Defence Forces in the 1918 Civil War and during the Second World War. Mannerheim was born on 4th June 1867, and was also Finland's sixth President.
		Tiananmen Square Protest of 1989 Memorial Day	Hong Kong	Commemoration of a series of demonstrations led by students, intellectuals and labour activists that left (according to Chinese authorities) between 400 and 800 civilians dead, and between 7,000 and 10,000 injured.
			Poland	The victory on this day in 1989 of Solidarity in the first partly free parliamentary elections in post-war Poland sparked off a succession of peaceful anti-communist revolutions in Eastern Europe.
			Multinational	On this day in 1939, The SS St. Louis, a ship carrying 963 Jewish refugees, was denied permission to land in Florida, USA, after already having been turned away from Cuba. Forced to return to Europe, most of its passengers later died in Nazi concentration camps.
05/06/2008	Thursday	Constitution Day	Denmark	Commemorates the signing of the Danish Constitution in 1849 which established Denmark as a constitutional monarchy, and honours the constitution of 1953, which was adopted on the same day.
		Liberation Day	Seychelles	Commemorates the anniversary of the 1977 coup.
		Inuivaluit Day	Canada	Commemorates the signing of the Inuivaluit Final Agreement in 1989, giving the Inuit of Western Canada the first comprehensive land claim agreement north of the 60th parallel.
		Feast of Núr (Light)	Baha'i	First day of the fifth month of the Baha'i Calendar.
		World Environment Day	Multinational	Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972, to stimulate global environmental awareness.
06/06/2008	Friday	Hyon-ch'ung-il (Memorial Day)	South Korea	South Korean commemoration of their war dead.
		National Day (Nationaldagen)	Sweden	Commemorates the coronation of King Gustav Vasa in 1523, considered to be the beginning of modern Sweden.
07/06/2008	Saturday	Sette Giugno	Malta	Translated as '7th June'. Commemorates the bread riots against the British in 1919 which culminated in the deaths of four people. On that same day, the National Assembly was formed and self-government was demanded.
			USA, Great Britain	The USA and Great Britain agreed to suppress the slave trade on this day in 1862.
		Union Dissolution Day	Norway	Remembers the declaration of the Norwegian Parliament on this day in 1905 to dissolve the personal union with Sweden.
08/06/2008	Sunday	World Ocean Day	Multinational	Not an officially recognised holiday, World Ocean Day stems from the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
		Dragon Boat Festival (端午節 duānwǔjié)	Chinese	Though the origins of this festival are unclear, one traditional view holds that it is a commemoration of the suicide of the poet Qu Yuan, who drowned himself in protest against government corruption.
09/06/2008	Monday	St Columba of Iona	Celtic Christian	Christian recognition of Columba who began the community of Iona off the coast of Scotland in 563.
		Shavuot	Jewish	Beginning of Shavout. Also known as the Festival of Weeks, Shavuot marks the time when the first harvest was taken to the Temple. Lasts for two days.
10/06/2008	Tuesday	Day of Portugal, of Camoes	Portuguese communities	Celebration of Portugal Day for Portuguese communities worldwide.
11/06/2008	Wednesday	St Barnabas Day	Catholic Christian	St Barnabas is associated with the summer solstice. In the pre-Gregorian calendar, this holiday fell 11 days later and thus coincided with the solstice.
			South Vietnam	On this day in 1963, Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc burned himself with gasoline in a busy Saigon intersection to protest about the lack of religious freedom in South Vietnam.
12/06/2008	Thursday	Birth of Anne Frank	Multinational	Celebrated diarist Anne Frank was born in Amsterdam on this day in 1929.
		Independence Day/Russia Day	Russian Federation	Commemoration of the declaration of sovereignty by the Russian Parliament in 1990.
		Independence Day (Araw ng Kalayaan)	The Philippines	Commemorates independence from Spain in 1898.
		World Day Against Child Labour	Multinational	Established in 2002 by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to focus on issues of child labour.
14/06/2008	Saturday	Freedom Day	Malawi	On 14th June, 1993, the people of Malawi voted overwhelmingly in favour of multi-party democracy.
		Flag Day	USA	Commemorates the adoption of the United States flag on this day in 1777.
		Liberation Day	The Falkland Islands	Commemorates the unconditional surrender of Argentine armed forces in Port Stanley on this day in 1982.
		Queen's Official Birthday / Trooping the Colour	UK & Commonwealth	Official Birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. Always commemorated on a Saturday in June.
		World Blood Donor Day	Multinational	Officially designated by the World Health Organisation, the day is a celebration of the world's blood donors. For further information: www.wbdd.org/
		International Webloggers Day	Multinational	A celebration of weblogging. First celebrated in 2004.
		National Day of Commemoration (Leinapäev)	Estonia	Commemorates this day in 1941 when the mass deportations of Estonians (as well as Latvians and Lithuanians) began.
15/06/2008	Sunday	Flag Day	Denmark	The Dannebrog (Denmark's national flag) is the oldest national flag in the world. Legend has it that the flag fell from the sky during the Battle of Lyndanisse (now Tallinn) in Estonia on this day in 1219, and brought good fortune to the Danes.
		World Elder Abuse Awareness Day	Multinational	Observed for the first time in 2006, the object of the day is to raise awareness of elder abuse throughout the world. For further info: www.inpea.net/
			USA	On this day in 1924, Native Americans were formally proclaimed United States citizens.
		Magna Carta	UK	Anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta, the charter of English political and civil liberties, in 1215.
16/06/2008	Monday	Guru Arjan Dev martyrdom	Sikh	Guru Arjan Dev was the fifth Sikh Guru and the first Sikh martyr. He also compiled all of the past Gurus' writings into one book, which is now the Sikh holy scripture: the Guru Granth Sahib.
		Bloomsday	Ireland	Holiday in commemoration of the celebrated Irish writer James Joyce.
		Refugee Week begins	UK	A UK-wide programme of arts, cultural and educational events that celebrate the contribution of refugees to the UK, and encourages a better understanding between communities. For further information: www.refugeeweek.org.uk/Introduction.htm
		Youth Day/Day of the African Child	South Africa	Instigated by Nelson Mandela and the ANC on their election to power in 1994, in remembrance of those that died in the Soweto riots in 1976.
17/06/2008	Tuesday	Icelandic National Day	Iceland	Commemorates independence from Denmark in 1944.
18/06/2008	Wednesday	Autistic Pride Day	Multinational	A day for celebrating people on the autism spectrum. Began in 2005.
		National Day	The Seychelles	Commemorates the implementation of multi-party democracy.
19/06/2008	Thursday	New Church Day	Swedenborgian Christian	The New Church is a religious movement which began in the late Eighteenth Century. Its members believe it is a New Christian Church being established by the Lord, which is symbolized by the New Jerusalem descending from Heaven in the Book of Revelation. The New Church was influenced by the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.
		Emancipation Day	USA	Also known as 'Juneteenth' or Freedom Day, it commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas.
20/06/2008	Friday	World Refugee Day	Multinational	Designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2000, it began in 2001, the 50th anniversary of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.
		Day of the Royal Victorian Order	UK	Commemorated on 20th June, the day of Queen Victoria's accession to the throne in 1837.
		Flag Day (Día de la Bandera Nacional)	Argentina	Celebrated on 20th June in commemoration of the flag's creator, Manuel Belgrano (Argentine politician and military leader) who died on this day in 1820.
		Litha	Pagan	The midsummer solstice. The longest day of the year. Litha literally means 'a stopping or standing still of the sun', and rituals and commemorations therefore relate to the power of the Sun.
21/06/2008	Saturday	First Nations Day	Canadian Native People	Aboriginal peoples in Canada are Indigenous Peoples recognized in the Canadian Constitution Act, 1982 as Indians (First Nations), Métis, and Inuit. As of the 2001 Canadian Census there are over 900,000 Aboriginal people in Canada. This includes approximately 600,000 people of First Nations descent, 290,000 Métis, and 45,000 Inuit. Also known as National Aboriginal Day.
		Fête de la Musique (World Music Day)	Multinational	Began in France, but know spread internationally, the day is a celebration and promotion of music.
		National Day	Greenland	Celebrated on 21st June, the longest day of the year. Introduced in 1983.
22/06/2008	Sunday	Anti-Fascist Struggle Day (Dan antifašističke borbe)	Croatia	Commemorates the uprising on this day in 1941 of Croatian Anti-Fascist partisans against German and Italian occupying forces.
		Feast of St Alban	Christian	St Alban was Britain's first martyr.
23/06/2008	Monday	Victory Day (Võidupüha)	Estonia	Commemorates victory over German forces at the 1919 Battle of Wenden during the War for Estonian Independence.
		Father's Day	Poland	A celebration of fatherhood in Poland.
		Grand Duke's Official Birthday	Luxembourg	Celebrated as an annual national holiday in Luxembourg, though strangely this has never been the birthday of any ruler of the country.
		Jāņi (Līgo)	Latvia	A celebration of the summer solstice. Held on 23rd/24th June.
24/06/2008	Tuesday	Nativity of Saint John the Baptist	Christian	Commemoration of the birth of St John the Baptist.
		Feast of Rahmat (Mercy)	Baha'i	First day of the sixth month of the Baha'i Calendar.
		Festival of the Sun (Inti Raymi)	Cusco, Peru	A theatrical presentation is held in the Peruvian city of Cusco every year in commemoration of the ancient Incan festival of Inti Raymi.
		Bannockburn Day	Scotland	Commemoration of the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, at which the Scots under Robert the Bruce (later Robert I) defeated the English under Edward II.
25/06/2008	Wednesday	Statehood Day (dan državnosti)	Slovenia, Croatia	Commemorates the proclamation of independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991.
		Independence Day	Mozambique	Commemorates independence from Portugal in 1975.
26/06/2008	Thursday	International Day in Support of Victims of Torture	Multinational	Proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1997. The Day aims at the eradication of torture and the effective functioning of the 1984 Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which entered into force on 26th June 1987.
		Flag Day	Somalia	A celebration of the first hoisting of the flag of the independent Republic of Somalia on 26th June 1960.
		Flag Day (Ziua Tricolorului)	Romania	A national holiday in Romania.
		Sunthorn Phu Day	Thailand	Sunthorn Phu is Thailand's most well-known poet, popular in the country for writing in more ordinary language.
		Independence Day	Madagascar	Commemorates independence from France in 1960.
		Independence Day	Somaliland	A celebration of the end of British rule in the north western region (known as Somaliland) in 1960. Somaliland is not recognised by any government, but maintains a stable existence and is recognised by it's own people as an independent republic.
27/06/2008	Friday	National Veterans Day	UK	First held in 2006 to celebrate and draw attention to the contribution of armed forces veterans of all ages and experiences.
29/06/2008	Sunday	Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul	Christian	Commemoration of the martyrdom of the two apostles. The date is the anniversary of a day around 258, under the Valerian persecution, when what were believed to be the remains of the two apostles were both moved temporarily to prevent them from falling into the hands of the persecutors.
		Veterans Day	The Netherlands	Commemorates soldiers from the Netherlands who fought in World War Two and other conflicts.
		Independence Day	The Seychelles	Commemoration of independence from the UK in 1976.
30/06/2008	Monday	Independence Day	Democratic Republic of the Congo	Commemorates independence from Belgium in 1960.

JULY		2008
Date	Day	Sacred Time/Event etc	Faith/Nation etc	Other Info
01/07/2008	Tuesday	Canada Day	Canada	Celebrates the founding of the Canadian nation in 1867. Also commemorated on 2nd July, which is a statutory holiday in Canada.
		Special Administrative Region Establishment Day	Hong Kong	On this day in 1997, The United Kingdom transfered sovereignty over Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China.
		July Morning	Bulgaria	A tradition dating back perhaps to the 1970's. Young (and not so young) people from all over the country travel (often hitchhike) to the Black Sea coast to meet the first sun rays on 1st July. The tradition is linked to the hippy movement in the USA.
		Keti Koti / Liberation Day	Surinam	Keti Koti' means 'breaking of chains'. Commemoration of the abolition of slavery in 1863.
		CPC Founding Day	China	Commemorates the formation of the 1st National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 1921.
		Republic Day	Ghana	Ghana became a republic on this day in 1960.
		Independence Day	Burundi	Commemoration of independence from Belgium in 1962.
		Independence Day	Rwanda	Commemoration of independence from Belgium in 1962.
		Independence Day	Somalia	Somalia became a fully independent republic in 1960 through a merger of the two former colonial territories, British and Italian Somaliland.
		Somme Remembrance	Multinational	Commemorates the beginning of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Particularly observed in Northern Ireland in remembrance of the part played by the Ulster Division, and in locations in the North of England as a result of the 'pals' battalions.
02/07/2008	Wednesday		USA	On this day in 1964, President Lyndon B Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits segregation in public places.
03/07/2008	Thursday	St Thomas Day	Christian	St Thomas the Apostle was one of the twelve apostles.
04/07/2008	Friday	Independence Day (4th July)	USA	Commemoration of US independence from Great Britain in 1776.
		Filipino-American Friendship Day	The Philippines	The day commemorates the liberation of The Philippines by joint Filipino and American forces from the Japanese occupation at the end of World War II.
		Sickle Cell Awareness Month begins	UK	Sickle Cell Anaemia is an inherited blood disorder, which mainly affects people of Afro-Caribbean origin, and people from the Mediterranean region, Arabia and Asia. The Awareness Month is traditionally held in July.
05/07/2008	Saturday	Birthday of Guru Hargobind	Sikh	According to the Nanakshahi Calendar. Guru Hargobind was the sixth Sikh Guru.
		Constitution Day	Armenia	Adopted in 1995.
		Arrival of Saints Cyril and Methodius	Czech Republic, Slovak Republic	Commemoration of the arrival of Saints Cyril and Methodius in the Czech and Slovak lands (in what was Great Moravia) in about the year 863. A national holiday in both countries.
		Tynwald Day	UK (Isle of Man)	National Day of the Isle of Man.
			Israel	On this day in 1950, the Knesset (Israeli legislature) passed the Law of Return which grants all Jews the right to immigrate to Israel.
			UK	On this day in 1975, American Arthur Ashe became the first Black man to win the Wimbledon singles title.
		Independence Day	Algeria	Commemoration of independence from France in 1962.
		Independence Day	Cape Verde	Commemoration of independence from Portugal in 1975.
		Independence Day	Venezuela	Commemoration of independence from Spain in 1811.
06/07/2008	Sunday	Dalai Lama Birthday	Buddhist	The Dalai Lama was born on this day in 1935. Buddhist observation with traditional dances, picnics and singing. Each Dalai Lama is seen as reincarnation of predecessor.
		Jan Hus Day (Den upálení mistra Jana Husa)	Czech Republic	Commemorates the anniversary of the execution of religious reformer Jan Hus in 1415. A public holiday in the Czech Republic.
		Statehood Day	Lithuania	Commemorates the coronation of Mindaugas as the first King of Lithuania in 1253.
		Independence Day	Comoros	Commemorates independence from France in 1975.
		Independence Day/Republic Day	Malawi	Commemorates independence from the UK in 1964, and the establishment of a Republic in 1966. Both occurred on 6th July.
07/07/2008	Monday	Tanabata	Japan	Of Chinese origin, this is the Japanese Star Festival. Continues until 8th August. Japanese people celebrate by decorating shops and streets with bamboo and colourful plastic ornaments. They write their wishes on poem-cards and tie them to the bamboo.
		Independence Day	Solomon Islands	Commemorates independence from the UK in 1978.
		Ivan Kupala Day	Russia, Ukraine	The day of the Summer Solstice.
09/07/2008	Wednesday	Martyrdom of the Bab	Baha'i	This major holy day is celebrated at noon and commemorates the events surrounding the death of the Bab in 1850.
		Our Lady of Peace	Catholic Christian	Memorial feast in celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
		Constitution Day	Palau	The Republic of Palau is an island state in the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the youngest and smallest nations in the world, having coming into existence in 1994.
		Independence Day	Argentina	Commemoration of independence from Spain in 1816.
10/07/2008	Thursday	Independence Day	Bahamas	Commemoration of independence from the UK in 1973.
		Armed Forces Day	Mauritania	President Moktar Ould Daddah (overseer of a single-party system) was overthrown in a bloodless coup on this day in 1978.
11/07/2008	Friday	St Benedict Day	Catholic Christian	Patron Saint of Europe, and founder of the Benedictine Order.
		Maritime Day	China	Marks the anniversary of the first voyage of Zheng He, the famous Chinese mariner and explorer.
		Naadam Holiday (Наадам)	Mongolia	Mongolian national festival, held until 13th July. 'Naadam' means games, and Mongolian wrestling, archery and horse-racing take place throughout the country.
		Holiday of the Flemish Community	Belgium	Commemorates the Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302. Considered to be a landmark in the development of Flemish political independence
			Bosnia	On this day in 1995, the Serb army from Yugoslavia and Bosnia, captured the Bosnian town of Srebrenica. More than eight thousand inhabitants are murdered.
		Bonfire Night	Northern Ireland	A Protestant commemoration of the night before the Battle of the Boyne.
		World Population Day	Multinational	Inaugurated in 1988 by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to mark 11th July 1987, when the world's population hit five billion.
12/07/2008	Saturday	Orangemen's Day	Northern Ireland & others	Anniversary and commemoration by Protestant communities of the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Parades take place in the north of Ireland and in places such as Liverpool.
				On this day in 1580, the Ostrog Bible (the first printed Bible in a Slavic language) was published.
		Independence Day	São Tomé and Príncipe	Commemoration of independence from Portugal in 1975.
		Independence Day	Kiribati	Commemoration of independence from the UK in 1979.
13/07/2008	Sunday	Obon (Ulambana)	Buddhist / Shinto / Japan	Japanese Buddhist festival to honour deceased ancestors. Involves lighting of bonfires, traditional meals, paper lanterns, folk dances. Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of this date.
		Feast of Kálimát (Words)	Baha'i	First day of the seventh month of the Baha'i Calendar.
		National Day of Commemoration	Ireland	Held on the Sunday nearest to 11th July, the anniversary of the date in 1921 that a Truce was signed ending the Irish War of Independence. A commemoration of all Irish men and women who died in past wars or on service with the United Nations.
14/07/2008	Monday	Bastille Day (Fête Nationale)	France	Commemorates the storming of the Bastille in 1789. A national holiday in France.
		Flag Day	Sweden	To commemorate the birthday of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden.
15/07/2008	Tuesday	St Vladimir the Great Day	Orthodox Christian / Russia	Vladimir the Great was the first Russian ruler to embrace Christianity, and was instrumental in the establishment of the Russian nation.
		St Swithin's Day	Christian	According to tradition, if it rains on this day it will then rain daily for 40 days. If it is fine on St. Swithin's Day, it will not rain for 40 days.
			Brunei	Birthday of the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
		President's Day	Botswana	Two day event.
16/07/2008	Wednesday	Ethiopian Constitution Day	Rastafarian / Ethiopia	Commemoration of the implementation of Ethiopia's Constitution by Haile Selassie 1 in 1931. The day is characterised by Nyabingi drumming sessions in honour of Ethiopia.
		Rath Yatra	Hindu	Festival of Chariots. Rath Yatra is one of the major Hindu festivals associated with Lord Jagannath held at Puri in Orissa state, India. The Rath Yatra festival has become a common sight in most major cities of the world (including London, Paris and New York) since 1968 through the Hare Krishna movement. It is traditionally celebrated in Leicester.
17/07/2008	Thursday	Constitution Memorial Day	South Korea	Commemorates the adoption of the Constitution in 1948.
18/07/2008	Friday	Constitution Day	Uruguay	Uruguay adopted its first constitution on this day in 1830.
		Guru Purnima	Hindu	A day of worship by devotees to their Guru. The spiritual Gurus (and in particular, sage Ved Vyas) are revered on this day by remembering their life and teachings. Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of this date.
		Asalha Puja Day	Buddhist	The anniversary of the start of Buddha's teaching - his first sermon "The Wheel of Truth " after his enlightenment. Also known as Dharma Day. Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of this date.
19/07/2008	Saturday	Birthday of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan	Malaysia	Translated as 'Great Ruler', Yang di-Pertuan Besar is a royal title in Malaysia. Negeri Sembilan is a Malaysian state.
		National Liberation Day/Sandinista Revolution Day	Nicaragua	Commemorates the defeat of the Somoza dictatorship by the National Liberation Army in 1979.
		Burmese Martyr's Day	Myanmar (Burma)	Commemorations the assassination on this day in 1947 of several of Burma's independence leaders in Rangoon.
20/07/2008	Sunday	17th Tammuz	Jewish	An important Jewish fast day.
		Independence Day	Columbia	Commemoration of independence from Spain in 1810.
		Peace and Friendship Day/Turkish Intervention	Northern Cyprus	Commemorates the anniversary of the occupation by Turkish forces of the north part of the island in 1974.
		Día del Amigo (Friendship Day)	Argentina, Uruguay	Friendship Day is also celebrated on this day in Brazil. The idea for such a day was to coincide with the first moon landing, which it was thought engendered friendly feelings.
21/07/2008	Monday	Racial Harmony Day	Singapore	In commemoration of the race riots that took place in Singapore in 1964.
		Martyrs' Day	Bolivia
		Marine Day (Umi no hi)	Japan	A national holiday to celebrate Japan as a maritime nation. Occurs on the third Monday in July.
		Liberation Day	Guam	Commemorates the retaking of Guam by American forces from the Japanese in 1944.
		National Holiday	Belgium	Commemorates the inauguration of Leopold I, the first King of Belgium in 1831.
22/07/2008	Tuesday	St Mary Magdalene Day	Christian	Mary Magdalene was a devoted disciple of Jesus and considered by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican churches to be a Saint.
23/07/2008	Wednesday	Birthday of Haile Selassie 1	Rastafarian	Haile Selassie was the Emperor of Ethiopia. Rastafarians believe Haile Selassie is God, and that he will return members of the Black community who are living in exile to Africa.
		Birthday of Guru Har Krishen	Sikh	According to the Nanakshahi Calendar. Guru Har Krishen was the eighth Sikh Guru.
		Remembrance Day	Papua New Guinea	Commemorates the first engagement between New Guinean forces and the Imperial Japanese Army near Kokoda on this day in 1942.
		Revolution Day	Egypt, Libya	In Egypt, this is a commemoration of the 1952 Revolution in which the monarchy was overthrown.
24/07/2008	Thursday	Pioneer Day	Mormon Christian	Commemorates the arrival in 1847 of the first Latter Day Saints pioneers in Salt Lake Valley.
		Simón Bolívar Day	Bolivia	Also commemorated in Venezuela as 'Birth of the Libertador'. Simón Bolívar was born on this day in 1783.
25/07/2008	Friday	St James the Great Day	Christian	Christian recognition of the martyrdom of the Apostle James the Great in 44 AD.
		Republic Day	Tunisia	Commemorates the end of the monarchy and the establishment of a republic on this day in 1957.
		Commonwealth Constitution Day (Constitución del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico)	Puerto Rico	An official holiday in Puerto Rico, the day is a commemoration of the Puerto Rican constitution (which is tied to the USA) becoming effective on this day in 1852.
26/07/2008	Saturday	Khordad Sal (Qadimi)	Zoroastrian	The birthday of Zoroaster, celebrated on this date in the Qadimi calendar.
		Independence Day	Liberia	Commemorates the achievement of independence in 1847.
		Independence Day	The Maldives	Commemorates independence from the UK in 1965.
		Revolution Day	Cuba	Commemorates Fidel Castro's opposition to the Batista military dictatorship on this day in 1953
27/07/2008	Sunday	Memorial Day for War Martyrs	Vietnam	An annual commemoration of those who have died in past wars, characterised by the singing of patriotic songs and the lighting of candles.
		José Celso Barbosa Day	Puerto Rico	Commemorates the birth on this day in 1857 of the Puerto Rican doctor, sociologist and political leader.
28/07/2008	Monday	Ólavsøka Eve	Faroe Islands	Night before Ólavsøka.
		Fall of the Fascist Government	San Marino	Commemorates the fall of the Mussolini Fascist Government in Italy. July 28th was the date when it was announced that Italy was no longer a fascist state.
			Multinational	World War One began on this day in 1914. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia after it failed to meet the conditions of an ultimatum it set on 23rd July following the killing of Archduke Francis Ferdinand in Sarajevo by a Serbian assassin. This event leads to the outbreak of war.
		Independence Day	Peru	Commemorates independence from the Spanish Empire in 1821.
29/07/2008	Tuesday	Ólavsøka	Faroe Islands	A national holiday to commemorate the opening of the Faroese Parliament (Løgting). The day involves many festivities, including the national rowing competition finals.
		Lailat al Miraj	Islam	Usually begins at sundown the day before. Observance of the Prophet Muhammad's night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and his ascension to Heaven.
		National Anthem Day (Ziua Imnului naţional)	Romania	Commemorates the first singing of the National Anthem in 1848, the year of the revolution.
30/07/2008	Wednesday	Independence Day	Vanuatu	Formerly Anglo-French condominium of the New Hebrides. Commemorates independence from France and the UK in 1980.
31/07/2008	Thursday	Hari Pahlawan	Malaysia	Malaysian Warriors or Remembrance Day.
		Upswing of the Revolution	Republic of the Congo

AUGUST		2008
Date	Day	Sacred Time/Event etc	Faith/Nation etc	Other Info
01/08/2008	Friday	Lughnasadh - Lammas	Pagan	One of the Pagan festivals of Celtic origin which split the year into four. Marks the beginning of Harvest.
		Emancipation of Slavery	UK, Commonwealth, former British colonies	On 1st August 1834, all slaves in the British Empire were emancipated. However, they were still indentured to their former owners in an apprenticeship system which was finally abolished in 1838.
		Emancipation Day	Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Bahamas	A national holiday in Trinidad and Tobago to celebrate the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire on 1st August 1834.
		Emancipation from Slavery	Rastafarian	See above.
		Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Liberation Army	China	The People's Liberation Army was founded on 1st August 1927 as the military arm of the Communist Party of China. It was called the Red Army until June 1946.
		Ghost Festival (中元節 zhōngyuánjié)	Chinese	Chinese festival of respect for the dead. A very solemn festival that represents a connection between the living and the dead, earth and heaven, as well as body and soul.
		Swiss National Day	Switzerland	Celebration of the formation of the Old Swiss Confederacy in 1291.
		National Day	Benin	Commemoration of independence from France in 1960.
		Fiesta Day	Nicaragua	Honours Santo Domingo de Guzmán, the patron saint of the country's capital Managua.
		Army's Day (Eid al-Jaysh)	Lebanon
		Armed Forces Day	Angola	Treated as a public holiday, but not officially recognised.
			UK & Ireland	The Act of Union was passed on this day in 1800 merging the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
			Multinational	On this day in 1944, Anne Frank made the last entry in her diary.
		Yorkshire Day	UK	A promotion of Yorkshire and Yorkshire people. On this day in 1759, soldiers from Yorkshire regiments who had fought in the Battle of Minden in Germany, picked white roses from bushes near to the battlefields as a tribute to their fallen comrades.
		Feast of Kamál (Perfection)	Baha'i	First day of the eighth month of the Baha'i Calendar.
		Procession of the Cross	Orthodox Christian	Commemoration of the day on which the relics of the True Cross would be carried through the streets of Constantinople to bless the city.
02/08/2008	Saturday	Our Lady, Queen of the Angels	Costa Rica	Refers to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Lady, Queen of the Angels is the Patroness of Costa Rica.
		Ilinden (St Ilya Day)	Bulgaria, Republic of Macedonia	Remembers the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising against the Ottoman Empire of August 1903.
		Day of Airborne Forces	Russia	Celebrated initially in the Soviet era, the day has been retained as a holiday for Russian airborne troops.
03/08/2008	Sunday	Armed Forces Day	Equatorial Guinea
		Flag Day	Venezuela	Celebration in honour of the disembarkation of Venezuelan revolutionary Francisco de Miranda in La Vela de Coro on this day in 1806. Up until 2006, the Flag Day had been held on 12th March.
		Independence Day	Niger	Commemoration of independence from France in 1960.
		Beginning of the Second Maori War	New Zealand	The Second Maori War began in New Zealand on this day in 1860.
04/08/2008	Monday	Anniversary of the Revolution	Burkina Faso	Commemorates the Revolution of 1983-1987 which effectively began with a military coup on 4th August 1983. Exactly one year later, the country changed its name to Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta).
		Constitution Day	The Cook Islands	The Cook Islands became an Associated State of New Zealand but with self-government, on this day in 1965.
			Canada	On this day in 2005, Prime Minister Paul Martin announced that Michaëlle Jean would be Canada's 27th — and first Black — Governor General.
05/08/2008	Tuesday	Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day (Dan pobjede i domovinske zahvalnosti)	Croatia	A public holiday in Croatia in remembrance of the War of Independence.
		Independence Day	Burkina Faso	Commemoration of independence from France in 1960.
06/08/2008	Wednesday	Transfiguration of the Lord	Orthodox Christian	Commemorates the sudden emanation of radiance from the person of Jesus that occurred on the mountain.
		Independence Day of Jamaica	Jamaica	Commemoration of independence from Britain in 1962.
		Independence Day	Bolivia	Commemoration of independence from Spain in 1825.
		H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan's Accession Day	United Arab Emirates	Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (who died in November 2004), began his reign on this day in 1966.
		Toro Nagashi (Hiroshima)	Japan	Floating lantern ceremony to honour those killed by the U.S. atomic bomb in Hiroshima.
07/08/2008	Thursday	Emancipation Day	Turks and Caicos Islands	A national holiday in the islands in commemoration of the abolition of slavery.
		The Night of Sevens (七夕 qīxì)	Chinese	Chinese equivalent of Valentine's Day. It falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month (hence the name).
08/08/2008	Friday	Namesday of Queen Silvia	Sweden	An Official Flag Day in Sweden.
09/08/2008	Saturday	International Day of the World's Indigenous People	Multinational	Designated by the United Nations General Assembly on 23rd December 1994.
		Feast Day of the great martyr Saint Panteleimon	Russian Orthodox Church	Otherwise known as Saint Pantaleon (the 'all-compassionate')
		National Women's Day	South Africa	On this day in 1956, women participating in a national march petitioned against pass laws.
		National Day	Singapore	Commemorates Singaporean independence in 1965.
10/08/2008	Sunday	Tisha B'Av	Jewish	A commemoration of tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people over the years, many of them, coincidentally, occurring on this day. Usually begins at sundown the day before.
		Independence Day (El Primer Grito de Independencia)	Ecuador	Though the movement towards independence began in Quito on this day in 1809, actual independence (from Spain) wasn't formally achieved until 1822.
11/08/2008	Monday	Student's Day, Lawyers Day	Brazil	Foundation of Law Studies in Brazil.
		Heroes Day	Zimbabwe	Commemorates the fallen from past conflicts.
12/08/2008	Tuesday	International Youth Day	Multinational	Endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly on 17th December 1999 as a way to promote better awareness of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and beyond.
		The 'Glorious Twelfth'	Britain	The beginning of the Grouse season.
		Defence Forces Day	Zimbabwe
			South Africa	On this day in 1964, South Africa was banned from the Olympic Games because of its Apartheid policy.
13/08/2008	Wednesday	Lao Issara	Laos	Day of the Free Laos.
			Germany	On this day in 1961, the German Democratic Republic (the former East Germany) closed the border between the eastern and western sectors of Berlin, to thwart its inhabitants' attempts to escape to the West.
14/08/2008	Thursday	Independence Day (Yom-e-Istiqlal)	Pakistan	Commemoration of independence in 1947.
		Flag Day	Paraguay	The flag of Paraguay is unique in having a different emblem on each side.
		Festival of Hungry Ghosts (Yue Lan Festival)	China and in Chinese communities elsewhere	A festival to appease the dead and so prevent unhappy spirits from affecting the living. The festival takes place in a variety of locations, including Hong Kong and Singapore and occurs on a number of dates. It takes place this year in Hong Kong on 14th August.
			Poland	On this day in 1980, Lech Wałęsa (co-founder of the Solidarity (Solidarność) Trade Union) led strikes at Gdańsk shipyards.
		Allegiance of Oued Eddahab or Río de Oro	Morocco	Oued Eddahab or Río de Oro is situated at the southern end of Morocco and was one of the two territories that formed the Spanish province of Spanish Sahara.
15/08/2008	Friday	Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary	Catholic Christian	Celebrates the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken body and soul into heaven.
		Dormition of the Theotokos	Orthodox Christian	Commemorates the death, resurrection, and glorification of Christ's mother. Dormition means "falling asleep".
		Lailat al Bara'ah	Islam	Islamic Night of Forgiveness. A night of prayer to Allah for forgiveness of the dead. Preparation for Ramadan through intense prayer. Usually begins at sundown the day before.
		Independence Day	India	Commemoration of independence in 1947.
			Liberia	On this day in 1824, Liberia was formed by freed American slaves.
		Ghost Festival (中元節 zhōngyuánjié)	Chinese	Chinese festival of respect for the dead. A very solemn festival that represents a connection between the living and the dead, earth and heaven, as well as body and soul.
		Flooding of the Nile Day (Wafaa El-Nil)	Egypt	A two-week holiday in Egypt, the Flooding of the Nile was an important cycle in Ancient Egypt.
		National Mourning Day	Bangladesh	The second National Mourning Day of the year. The first occurs on 21st February and is synonymous with Language Martyr's Day.
		Liechtenstein Day	Liechtenstein	Celebrated now for 68 years. Its origins were as a celebration of the birthday of the reigning monarch, it is now the largest popular festival in this small country.
		Day of End of the War	Japan	Commemoration of the end of World War Two, this is a day to mourn the dead and pray for peace.
		Our Lady of Angels Feast	Portugal, The Azores
		Republic Day (Naadym)	Tuva	See 11th July (Naadam). Tuva is a federal republic of Russia.
		Polish Armed Forces Day (Dzień Wojska Polskiego)	Poland	Also known as 'Soldier's Day'. Commemoration of the Polish Armed Forces and specifically, the Battle of Warsaw of 1920. Polish Communities mark the occasion with readings, poetry, songs, drama, and performance.
		Liberation Day (Gwangbokjeol)	South Korea	A celebration of the liberation of South Korea from Japan in 1945.
16/08/2008	Saturday	Raksha Bandhan	Hindu	Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of this date. A celebration of brotherhood and love.
		Independence	Cyprus	On this day in 1960, Cyprus achieved independence from the UK.
17/08/2008	Sunday	Birthday of Marcus Garvey	Rastafarian	Commemorates the Birthday of Marcus Garvey, the Jamaican politician born in 1887 who predicted the crowning of a King in Africa, and instigated the 'Back to Africa' movement.
			France	According to an account of the time, on this day in 1427, the first band of Gypsies visited Paris.
		Proclamation of Independence Day (Hari Proklamasi Kemerdekaan R.I.)	Indonesia	Proclamation of independence from The Netherlands, and from Japan in 1945.
18/08/2008	Monday	Buhe	Ethiopian Orthodox Church	The Buhe ceremony involves tying a bundle of sticks together to make a chibo (a religious artefact), and setting it on fire while singing songs outside of people's homes.
19/08/2008	Tuesday	Afghan Independence Day	Afghanistan	Commemorating independence from Britain in 1919.
		Transfiguration of Jesus	Russian Orthodox Church	The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the Saviour's Transfiguration, popularly known as the "Apples Feast" (it's the first day of the year when eating apples is allowed).
		Jamshedi Noruz (Shenshai)	Zoroastrian	New Year's Day in the Shenshai calendar.
20/08/2008	Wednesday	Chileans' Exile Day	Chilean communities	Commemorating this day in 1973 when many Chileans were forced into exile following the military coup.
		Restoration Day	Estonia	On this day in 1991, Estonia ceceded from the Soviet Union.
		Revolution of the King and the People Day (Taourat al-malik wa shaab)	Morocco	Commemoration of the return of King Mohammed V to the country in 1955.
		St Stephen's Day (Szent István ünnepe)	Hungary	The main national holiday in Hungary, in commemoration of the country's first Christian king.
			Former Czechoslovakia	On this day in 1968, 200,000 Warsaw Pact troops and 5,000 tanks invaded the country to end the "Prague Spring" of political liberalization.
		Feast of Asmá (Names)	Baha'i	First day of the ninth month of the Baha'i Calendar.
21/08/2008	Thursday	Nino Aquino Day	The Philippines	Commemorates the assassination of Philippine opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr. at the Manila International Airport (now renamed Ninoy Aquino International Airport) in 1983.
22/08/2008	Friday		Multinational	On this day in 1864, twelve nations signed the first Geneva Convention. The Red Cross is formed.
			Former Rhodesia	On this day in 1972, Rhodesia (present day Zimbabwe) was expelled from the International Olympic Committee as a result of its racist policies.
			USA	On this day in 1950, Althea Gibson became the first Black competitor in international tennis.
23/08/2008	Saturday	International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition	Multinational	On this day in 1791, an uprising of the enslaved Africans on the island of St Domingo (modern Haiti and the Dominican Republic) began. This revolt was a crucial event in the fight against slavery. UNESCO chose this date in 1997 as a reminder that enslaved Africans were the main agents of their own liberation. Coincidentally, on this very same day in 1833, slavery was abolished in the British colonies - becoming legislation on 29th August 1833.
		Umhlanga Day	Swaziland	An annual festival during which young women gather reeds to protect the windbreak of the Queen Mother's house. Translates as 'Reed Dance' Day.
		Liberation Day	Romania	The fascist regime in Romania was overthrown in 1944 in the Second World War and Romania switched sides (to the Allies).
24/08/2008	Sunday	St Bartholomew Day	Christian	One of the twelve apostles of Jesus.
		Khordad Sal (Shenshai)	Zoroastrian	Birthday of Zoroaster in the Shenshai calendar.
		JANMASHTAMI - KRISHNA JAYANTI	Hindu	The Janamashtami festival marks the birth of Krishna, the most highly venerated God in the Hindu pantheon. Local or regional customs may use a variation of this date.
			Germany	On this day in 1349, six thousand Jews were killed in Mainz. They were blamed for the bubonic plague. Exactly 42 years later (in 1391), Jews were also massacred in Palma de Mallorca.
		St Bartholomew's Day Massacre	France	On the orders of King Charles IX, a massacre of Huguenots (French Protestants) begins, though the King's responsibility has been disputed.
		National holiday	Ukraine	Commemorates independence from Russia in 1991.
25/08/2008	Monday	National Day	Uruguay	Commemorates independence from Brazil in 1825.
26/08/2008	Tuesday	Namibia Day	Namibia	Also known as 'Heroes' Day'.
			Chad	On this day in 1940, Chad became the first French colony to join the Allies in the Second World War under the administration of Félix Éboué, France's first Black colonial governor.
27/08/2008	Wednesday	Independence Day	Moldova	Commemorates independence from Russia in 1991.
28/08/2008	Thursday	Liberation Day	Hong Kong	Commemorates liberation from the Japanese in 1945.
		PARYUSHANA-PARVA	Jain	Celebrated as an 8 or 10 day period. The most important Jain festival, it consists of eight (Swetambara) or ten (Digambara) days of intensive fasting and repentance. A time of reflection. Paryushana literally means 'stay in one place'. Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of this date.
		Martin Luther King speech	USA & Multinational	On this day in 1963, Martin Luther King delivered a speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC made famous by the phrase 'I have a dream'.
29/08/2008	Friday	Beheading of Saint John the Baptist	Christian	St John the Baptist was beheaded on the orders of King Herod Antipas.
		Slovak National Uprising Day (Výročie Slovenského národného povstania)	Slovakia	Commemorates the armed insurrection against the Nazis in 1944.
30/08/2008	Saturday	International Day of the Disappeared	Multinational	Created to draw attention to the fate of individuals imprisoned at places and under poor conditions unknown to their relatives and/or legal representatives.
		Victory Day (Zafer Bayramı)	Turkey	Commemoration of the victory that ended the Turkish Independence War in 1922. Dedicated to the armed forces.
31/08/2008	Sunday	National Day (Hari Merdeka)	Malaysia	Commemorates independence from the British in 1957.
		Day of Our Language (Limba noastră).	Moldova	Limba noastră (Our Language) is the national anthem of Moldova.
		Independence Day	Kyrgyzstan	Commemorates independence from Russia in 1991.
		National Heroes' Day (Araw ng mga Bayani)	The Philippines	Observed on the last Sunday in August. Commemoration of the "Cry of Pugad Lawin" by Filipino revolutionaries called the Katipunan led by Andres Bonifacio.
		Independence Day	Trinidad and Tobago	Commemorates independence from the Britain in 1962.

SEPTEMBER		2008
Date	Day	Sacred Time/Event etc	Faith/Nation etc	Other Info
01/09/2008	Monday	Religious Year begins	Orthodox Christian
		First Parkash Guru Granth Sahib	Sikh	Observation of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib, the first edition of the Sikh scriptures, in the Golden Temple by the fifth Guru, Arjan Dev, in 1604.
		Independence Day	Uzbekistan	Commemorates independence from Russia in 1991.
		Revolution Day	Libya	Commemoration of the revolution in 1969 that brought Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi to power.
		Jour d'Union Nationale Camerounaise	Cameroon	The Cameroon National Union (Union Nationale Camerounaise) became the sole legal political party in the country on this day in 1966.
		Constitution Memorial Day (Deň Ústavy Slovenskej republiky)	Slovakia	Commemoration of the country's new Constitution adopted in Bratislava in 1992.
02/09/2008	Tuesday	National Day of Vietnam (Quốc khánh)	Vietnam	An independent republic was proclaimed in 1945, following the surrender of Japan at the end of the Second World War.
		RAMADAN BEGINS	Islam	The Muslim month of fasting. During the 29/30 days of Ramadan all adult Muslims must give up food, drink, smoking and sexual activity during the hours of daylight. Usually begins at sundown the day before.
		Sedantag (Sedan Day)	Germany	Traditional holiday in commemoration of Prussia's defeat of the French in 1870 (Battle of Sedan).
03/09/2008	Wednesday	Independence Day	Qatar	Commemorates independence from Britain in 1971.
		Ganesh Chaturthi	Hindu	A celebration of the birthday of Lord Ganesh, the elephant-headed God. Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of this date.
		Samvatatsari	Jain	Last day of Paryushana when Jains give out alms to the poor.
		Dashalakshani-parva	Jain	Of 10 day duration, each day dedicated to a virtue: humility, honesty, purity, forgiveness, truthfulness, self-restraint, asceticism, study, celibacy and detachment.
			San Marino	On this day in the year 301, San Marino was founded by Saint Marinus.
		Flag Day	Australia	The present flag of Australia flew for the first time on this day in 1901 (atop the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne).
		Memorial Day	Tunisia	Commemorates the move towards independence (from France) in 1934.
		Armed Forces Day	Republic of China (Taiwan)	Honours the armed forces of the Republic of China.
04/09/2008	Thursday	Quatre Septembre (4th September)	France	A celebration of the Proclamation of the Third Republic in 1870.
05/09/2008	Friday	Teacher's Day	India	The birthdate of the philosopher and statesman Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan is celebrated as Teacher's Day in India.
06/09/2008	Saturday	Unification Day	Bulgaria	Commemoration of the union between Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia in 1885.
		Independence Day	Swaziland	Commemorates independence from the UK in 1968.
		Defence Day (Yom-e-Difa)	Pakistan	Public holiday in Pakistan to commemorate the role of the military in the defence of the country, and specifically in commemoration of the successful defence of Sailkot against the Indian army in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.
07/09/2008	Sunday	Independence Day (Sete de Setembro)	Brazil	Commemoration of independence from Portugal in 1822, though not formally recognised until 29th August 1825.
			South Africa	On this day in 1986, Desmond Tutu became the first Black person to lead the Anglican Church in South Africa.
		Victory Day (Dia da Vitória)	Mozambique	A national holiday in commemoration of the signing of the agreement between Portugal and Mozambique in 1974 that ended the Mozambican War of Independence. Independence was granted in 1975.
08/09/2008	Monday	Feast of the Birth of Mary	Christian	A celebration of the birth of the Virgin Mary.
		Nativity of the Theotokos	Orthodox Christian	See above.
		Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary	Catholic Christian	See above.
		Feast of 'Izzat (Might)	Baha'i	First day of the tenth month of the Baha'i Calendar.
		International Literacy Day	Multinational	Proclaimed by UNESCO in 1965, and first celebrated a year later. Its aim is to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies.
		National Day (Mare de Deu de Meritxell)	Andorra	The Mare de Deu de Meritxell is the patron of Andorra.
		Independence Day	Macedonia	Commemorates independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991.
		Victory Day (il-Vitorja)	Malta	Commemorates victories impacting on Malta in 1565 and 1943.
09/09/2008	Tuesday	Independence Day	Tajikistan	Commemorates independence from Russia in 1991.
		Republic Day	North Korea	Commemorates the formal declaration of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on this day in 1948.
		Kiku no Sekku	Japan	Chrysanthemum Festival. The chrysanthemum is a flower of special importance to the Japanese, it's sixteen petals being the imperial crest.
10/09/2008	Wednesday	World Suicide Prevention Day	Multinational	The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), in collaboration with the World Health Organisation uses this day to call attention to suicide as a leading cause of premature and preventable death.
		Day of the Child	Honduras	An unofficial holiday, children are celebrated and given treats and gifts.
		National Day	Gibraltar	Commemorates the 1967 referendum in which the people of Gibraltar voted to reject annexation by Spain.
11/09/2008	Thursday	New Year (Neyrouz)	Coptic Christian	The Coptic Christian Church is the Christian church of Egypt, with dioceses elsewhere in Africa and the Near East, having a liturgy in Coptic and a Monophysite doctrine.
		Ethiopian New Year's Day	Rastafarian	Also known in Ethiopia as Enutatash.
		Patriot Day	USA	Commemorates the anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon in 2001. The day's name is still more commonly referred to as 9/11.
		Anniversary of the death of Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Yom-e-Wafat-e-Quaid-e-Azam)	Pakistan	The founder of Pakistan died on this day in 1948.
12/09/2008	Friday	Nationality Day	Cape Verde	Also known as 'Day of the Nation'.
			South Africa	On this day in 1977, anti-Apartheid activist Steve Biko is killed in police custody.
			USA	Mae Carol Jemison became the first African-American woman in space, when NASA launched Space Shuttle Endeavour on this day in 1992.
		National Revolution Day	Ethiopia	Commemorates the deposing of Emperor Haile Selassie by a military coup on this day in 1974.
14/09/2008	Sunday	Elevation of the Life Giving Cross (Holy Cross)	Christian	Commemorates the finding in the 4th Century of the Holy Cross. A day for strict fasting and prayer.
		Triumph of The Cross	Catholic Christian	See above.
		Exaltation of the Cross	Eastern Orthodox Christian	See above.
		Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival (中秋節 zhōngqiūjié)	Chinese	The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the two most important holidays in the Chinese calendar (the other being the Chinese Lunar New Year). Celebrations involve the eating of moon cakes and gatherings under the moon.
		Ananta-chaturdasi	Jain	The holiest day of Dashalakshani-parva. The 'Festival of Ten Virtues' is a ten-day fast and period of meditation.
		Racial Justice Sunday	Christian	Racial Justice Sunday always falls on the second Sunday in September. Most of the major Churches in Britain and Ireland invite their members to use the day to celebrate diversity, reflect on racism, pray for racial justice and contribute to the Racial Justice Fund, which supports projects working for equality and community cohesion and improving community relations.
15/09/2008	Monday	Hispanic Heritage Month begins	Multinational	Begins on 15th September in commemoration of the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua) from Spain in 1821.
		Ksamavani	Jain	Day of universal forgiveness when Jains ask for the forgiveness of others.
		Holyday of the Seven sorrows of Virgin Maria	Slovakia	One of the largest Catholic holidays in Slovakia. Pilgrims flock to Šaštín in Western Slovakia for the national celebrations, pilgrimages that actually date back to 1250.
		Silpa Bhirasri Day	Thailand	Silpa Bhirasri (an Italian by birth who changed his name and became a Thai national) was the father of modern arts in Thailand. He was born on 15th September 1892.
		Engineer's Day	India	The birthdate of the engineer and statesman Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya is celebrated as Engineer's Day in India.
		Keiro no Hi (Respect for the Aged Day)	Japan	A holiday in Japan in celebration of elderly citizens, originating in 1947. Commemorated on the third Monday in September.
		Battle of Britain Day	UK	Commemorates the last day of the Battle of Britain in 1941.
16/09/2008	Tuesday	Independence Day	Mexico	Commemorates independence from Spain.
		Saradhas begin	Hindu	Festival in which offerings are made for departed ancestors.
		Independence Day	Papua New Guinea	Commemorates independence from Australia in 1975.
17/09/2008	Wednesday	National Heroes' Day	Angola	A holiday in Angola to commemorate the birthday of the national hero Agostinho Neto.
			India	On this day in 2004, Tamil was declared India's first classical language.
		Constitution Day	USA	An American federal holiday in commemoration of the signing of the United Constitution by the U.S. Constitutional Convention in 1787.
18/09/2008	Thursday	National Day of Chile	Chile	Commemoration of independence from Spain in 1818.
19/09/2008	Friday	Hippocrates Birthday	Greece	A celebration of life and health in Greek communities.
		Armed Forces Day (Dia de las Glorias del Ejercito)	Chile	Celebrated the day after the country's day of independence, it is characterised by military parades in Santiago and other cities.
		Independence Day	St Kitts and Nevis	Commemorates independence from the UK in 1983.
21/09/2008	Sunday	St Matthew's Day	Christian	Apostle of Jesus and traditionally believed to be the author of the Gospel of Matthew.
		International Day of Peace	Multinational	Established in 1981 by the General Assembly of the United Nations. Takes place on 21st September every year and is a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, an invitation to all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities. For further info: www.internationaldayofpeace.org/
		Independence Day	Belize	Commemorates independence from the UK in 1981.
		Independence Day	Armenia	Commemorates independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
		Independence Day (Jum l-Indipendenza)	Malta	Commemorates the independence of Malta within the Commonwealth of Nations. Occurred in 1964.
22/09/2008	Monday	Autumn Equinox	Pagan	Autumn Equinox (also known as Mabon or Harvest Home) is celebrated when day and night are of equal duration.
		Independence Day	Mali	Commemorates independence from France in 1960.
		Independence Day	Bulgaria	Commemorates independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1908.
23/09/2008	Tuesday	National Day (Al-Yaom Al-Watany)	Saudi Arabia	Commemorates the unification of various regions to become Saudi Arabia.
		Autumnal Equinox Day (Shūbun no hi)	Japan	An official national holiday and an occasion for Japanese people to visit the graves of their ancestors.
		New Years Day	Eastern Orthodox Christian	Traditional New Years Day in Constantinople and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
		Celebrate Bisexuality Day	Multinational	First celebrated in 1999.
24/09/2008	Wednesday	Heritage Day	South Africa	A public holiday in South Africa and an opportunity for South Africans globally to celebrate their cultural heritage and the diversity of their beliefs and traditions.
		Independence Day	Guinea-Bissau	Commemorates independence from Portugal in 1973.
		Republic Day	Trinidad and Tobago	To commemorate the establishment of a republic in 1976, fourteen years after the achievement of independence from the UK.
25/09/2008	Thursday	Armed Forces Day	Mozambique	Commemorates the anniversary of the start of the struggle for national liberation. Also known as Popular Liberation Forces Day.
26/09/2008	Friday	European Day of Languages	Europe	First celebrated in 2001. For further information, see: http://www.ecml.at/edl/
		Laylat el qadr	Islam	Night of Power - marks the night in which the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by Allah. Begins in the evening.
		Jummatul Wida	Islam	Last Friday of Ramadan observance.
		Native American Day	USA	Commemorated on the 4th Friday in September, as a celebration of Native Americans.
27/09/2008	Saturday	Feast of Mashíyyat (Will)	Baha'i	First day of the eleventh month of the Baha'i Calendar.
		World Tourism Day	Multinational	Celebrated by the World Tourism Organisation since 1980. The purpose of World Tourism Day is to display awareness that tourism is vital to the international community and to show how it affects the social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide.
		Holiday of the French Community of Belgium	Belgium	Observed only by French speakers, in Wallonia.
28/09/2008	Sunday	St Wenceslas Day	Christian/Czech Republic	Patron Saint of the Czech Republic and the Czech people.
		Czech Statehood Day (Den české státnosti)	Czech Republic	In commemoration of the above. A public holiday in the Czech Republic.
		Confucius' Birthday	Confucian/China	See 18/10/2008. Confucius' Birthday in the Western solar calendar is also known as National Teacher's Day in the People's Republic of China, in memory of the importance that Confucius placed on learning and scholarship.
29/09/2008	Monday	St Michael and All Angels	Christian	Feast is also called Michaelmas. St Michael the Archangel is the Patron Saint of grocers, mariners, paratroopers, police, and sickness. Saints Gabriel and Raphael are the other Angels celebrated on this day.
		Navaratri begins	Hindu	Of nine nights duration, Navaratri symbolises the triumph of good over evil and marks the beginning of Autumn. Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of this date.
		Inventor's Day (Día del Inventor)	Argentina	Celebrated since 1986. Inventor's Day in Argentina commemorates the birthday of the inventor of the ballpoint pen, the Hungarian László József Bíró.
30/09/2008	Tuesday	International Translation Day	Multinational	Also the Saints Day of St Jerome, Patron Saint of translators.
		ROSH HASHANA	Jewish	Jewish New Year, commemorating the creation of the world. Usually begins at sundown the day before and lasts for 2 days.
		Ten Days of Repentance	Jewish	A period of ten days of solemnity, in which Jews have the opportunity to repent (teshuvah), by proactively seeking forgiveness for their sins. Begins on Rosh Hashana and ends on Yom Kippur.
		Independence Day	Botswana	Commemoration of independence from the UK in 1966.

OCTOBER		2008
Date	Day	Sacred Time/Event etc	Faith/Nation etc	Other Info
01/10/2008	Wednesday	Black History Month begins	UK	Held every October. Black History Month aims to: promote knowledge of Black History and experience; disseminate information on positive Black contributions to British society; and heighten the confidence and awareness of Black people in their cultural heritage. For further info: www.black-history-month.co.uk
		EID-UL-FITR (عيد الفطر)	Islam	Commemorating the end of Ramadan and thanking Allah for the help and strength given to help practice self-control.
		First day of Shawwal ( شوّال )	Islam	Shawwal is the tenth month in the Islamic Calendar and the first of the three months named as 'Ashhur al-Hajj' (i.e. the months of Hajj). The first day of Shawwal is Eid-ul-Fitr. There are also six days of fasting during Shawwal which, together with the Ramadan fasts, are equivalent to fasting the whole year (according to Sahih Muslim). Muslims, therefore, will receive the rewards of a whole year's worth of fasting.
		National Day of the People's Republic of China	China	The People's Republic of China was formally proclaimed on this day in 1949.
		Independence Day	Cyprus	Commemorates independence from Britain in 1960.
		Independence Day	Ghana	Commemorates independence from Britain in 1957.
		Independence Day	Tuvalu	Commemorates independence from the Gilbert Islands (Kiribati) in 1975.
		Independence Day	Nigeria	Commemorates independence from Britain in 1960.
		International Day of Older Persons	Multinational	Designated by the United Nations General Assembly on 14th December 1990, it was first observed in 1991.
		World Hepatitis Awareness Day	Multinational	Designated by hepatitis patient associations around the world as a day on which to raise awareness about hepatitis and demand action to curb the spread of the disease and treat people who are infected.
		World Vegetarian Day	Multinational	Established by the North American Vegetarian Society in 1977.
02/10/2008	Thursday	Gandhi Jayanti	India	A celebration in India of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi in 1869. A national holiday in India.
		Independence Day	Guinea	Commemorates independence from France in 1958.
03/10/2008	Friday	National Foundation Day (Gaecheonjeol)	South Korea	Commemorates the traditional founding of Korea in 2333 BC. Also known as the 'Festival of the Opening of Heaven'.
		German Unity Day (Tag der Deutschen Einheit)	Germany	A national holiday to celebrate the reunification of Germany in 1990.
04/10/2008	Saturday	St Francis Day	Catholic Christian	St Francis of Assisi was Patron Saint of animals (see below) and the environment.
		Blessing of the Animals	Christian	Secularised as World Animal Day, and a celebration of all animal life.
		World Space Week begins	Multinational	Designated by the UN General Assembly in 1999. Runs from 4th to 10th October in commemoration of two events. On 4th October 1957, the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched, and on 10th October 1967, the Outer Space Treaty was signed.
		World Animal Day	Multinational	Originally chosen to coincide with St Francis Day, a day of celebration for all forms of animal life.
		Day of Peace and Reconciliation (Dia da Paz e da Reconciliação)	Mozambique	Commemorates the peace agreement signed between the Mozambique government and the Renamo rebels in Rome on this day in 1992.
		Independence Day	Lesotho	Commemorates independence from Britain in 1966.
05/10/2008	Sunday	Republic Day (Implantação da República)	Portugal	Commemoration of the Portuguese First Republic in 1910. Known as 'Implantation of the Republic'.
		International World Teacher's Day	Multinational	For more information: http://www.ei-ie.org/worldteachersday/en/index.htm
06/10/2008	Monday	St Thomas Day	Orthodox Christian	St Thomas the Apostle was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. See 03/07/2008.
		World Habitat Day	Multinational	Held on the first Monday in October. Designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 1985 and first observed in 1986. For further info: www.worldhabitatday2007.org/
		Armed Forces Day	Egypt	Commemorates the Egyptian successes early in the Yom Kippur War which started on October 6, 1973.
		Ivy Day	Ireland	Formerly honouring the Irish revolutionary, Padraig Pearse, it is a commemoration of the death of Charles Stewart Parnell, the Irish nationalist leader who served as a member of the British parliament (1875–1891) and led Ireland's Home Rule Movement. It is called Ivy Day because people wore Ivy leaves at Parnell's funeral picked from the trees at the Glasnevin Cemetery where he was buried.
07/10/2008	Tuesday		Cuba	On this day in 1886, Spain abolished slavery in Cuba.
		Chung Yeung Festival (重陽節 chóngyángjié)	Chinese	Also known as the 'Festival of Ascending Heights' or 'Double Ninth', Chung Yeung is similar to Ching Ming (which takes place earlier in the year) in that they both pay tribute to dead family members and loved ones. It’s traditional to visit and clean the family graveside and then ascend a hill, thus getting closer to God, to offer prayers for lost loved ones.
08/10/2008	Wednesday	Independence Day (Dan nezavisnosti)	Croatia	Commemorates independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991.
		Navaratri ends	Hindu	Regional customs or moon sightings may cause a variation of this date.
		Feast Day of St Keyne