Children’s Day (Mexico) - Classes set aside this day for the children often suspending lessons for games and other activities. The children will also bring food to share with classmates. Parks and other facilities will have special activities for them and parents will often give them presents. The day started in 1925.

Reunification Day or Black April (Vietnam) - Depending on your perspective this is either a day to celebrate or mourn. The fall of Saigon happened on April 30, 1975 and marked the end of the war in Vietnam. This lead to the country being restored to one nation. For those who supported South Vietnam this is a day that many people feel they were exhaled or suffered for their support for supporting the south. For those in favor of the north this is a day they celebrate for joining the country as one. As the north were the victors there are many festival surrounding this day in the country.

Shōwa Day - The start of what is now known as Golden Week in Japan, Shōwa was formally celebrated as the emperor’s birthday in Japan. Emperor Hirohito reigned for 63 years, during which World War II occurred. The day was a celebration of the emperor in the past but now is looked at as a day to reflect on his time as ruler of the country. Golden Week is one of the longest counties times off people get in Japan and much traveling is done then. Many companies will shut down altogether during this time.

International Dance Day - The day declared by the International Dance Council as a day to promote dance around the world. An NGO recognized by UNESCO, it hopes to spread the love of dance around the world. This year the message is about joining forces with other art forms.

National Day of Mourning (Canada) - Established to remember those who have died or been injured on the job in Canada, it is observed by the national flag being flown at half staff during the day at government buildings and a moment of silence observed at 11:00. The official started in 1984 when the Canadian Union of Public Employees announced it and in 1985 the Canadian Labour Congress declared it to be an annual event. The government made it an officially sponsored day in 1990. Since then over 80 countries have followed suite and the United Nations has declared it a UN official recognized day. The reasons for the day are both remembering those who have died and been injured as well as renew peoples awareness of possible dangers on the job.

Freedom Day South Africa - Celebrates and is a reminder of the first post-apartheid election which were held in 1994.

Koningsdag or King’s Day in The Netherlands - The day of the King’s birthday people celebrate by having a free market, where people will sell second hand items and often dying their hair orange. It is the one day of the year that you do not need a permit to sell things on the street. Many festivals and concerts also happen on this day, with everyone joining in the celebration. The king will also take this time to honor people for their services to The Netherlands. Orange is a very popular color owing to the fact the ruling family is the House of Orange-Nassau.

Union Day Tanzania - The day that in 1964 Tamganyika and the People’s Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba joined together to for the country of Tanzania. Located on the southeastern shore of Africa it has a population of around 47 million people.

Red Hat Day - A society initially intended for women over the age of 50, but now includes women of all ages, it started because Sue Ellen Cooper gave a friend a red bowler hat and a poem by Jenny Joseph which starts off with the lines

“When I am an old women I shall wear purple

With a red hat that does not go and doesn’t suit me”

Today it is a group that gets together and enjoys activities that can be of almost any kind. With over 40,000 chapters around the world there the options are almost endless, but all have the intention of comradery for the women. One of the more popular events is that of tea parties. April 25th is the birthday of the Red Hat Society.

Faroe Flag Day - This is the day that back in 1940 when the British occupied the Faroe Islands that the current flag was formally adopted. A small self governing country in the Danish realm. Located about halfway between Norway and Iceland and having a population of around 50,000 people the name translates to something along the lines of “Islands of Sheep”.

Republic Day in Gambia - The day Gambia became a republic in the Commonwealth, a nation in north east Africa of around 2 million people. The Gambia became an independent nation in 1965.

Democracy Day Nepal - In 2006, the King of Nepal announced on television that the House of Representatives would be reformed. This marked a shift from a non democratic nation to one governed by voting. Nepal, a small country of around 27 million people is in south asia between India and China.

Concord Day - The day that in 1995 a Peace Concord was signed in Niger (a country in central Africa) that marked the beginning of the end of the internal conflict that had started in 1990. Now celebrated with cross cultural events to instill love and understanding for the youth of Niger.

World Book Day - A day to promote reading, publishing and copyright around the world.  Sponsored by UNESCO and first celebrated in 1995.

International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day - Started in 2007 as a reaction to a statement by author Howard V. Hendrix who felt that stories being published on the internet for free, specifically sci-fi and fantasy were causing the venerated art of being an author to fall into disrepute. Far too much garbage going out. Jo Walton called for the publications of professional level writing to be put out on the web during this time.

St. George’s Day - The Saint day for England even though St. George is from a region in Spain, it has seen some resurgence in recent years. Mentioned as early as the 600s, St George has been said to have been with the English at the Battle of Agincourt and the highest Order of Knighthood in England is the the Order of the Garter which under St. George’s banner. Not only that but it is also included in the Union Jack, what many people think is the English flag but is actually the flag of Great Britain. That is the white, red and blue flag and it incorporates the banners of St Patrick (of Ireland), St Andrew (of Scotland) and of course St. George. Back in the 15th century the feast day was almost as big an event as Christmas, though of course Christmas was a completely different thing than we see today. The day did start to less in attention through the years though seems to be coming back. It is a day to celebrate things English. And to tie it back to the start it is also the reason England does not have Book Day on the 23 of April but instead has theirs on the first Thursday in March.

Grounation Day - Rastafari movement. Second most holy day for the Rastafarians, it is the day that Haile Selassie (Emperor of Ethiopia) visited Jamaica. Considered the incarnation of God to those of the Rastafarian faith.

Kartini Day - The day that Kartini of Indonesia was born. She went on to help win the emancipation and equal rights of women in the country.

Flag Day for America Samoa.

Day of Silence - A day to show support for the LGBT community against harassment and bullying in school. Students will refrain from speaking today to draw attention to this. Started in 1996 at the University of Virginia, people from all of the United States now participate.

 www.dayofsilence.org

Still working on getting this podcast up and running for each day, be kind.

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