Independence Day, also commonly referred to as the Fourth of July, is the national day of the United States of America. It is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. On that date, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration, setting the 13 colonies on the road to …

On World Oceans Day, we reflect on the challenges facing our ocean and what we must do to protect this life-sustaining resource for future generations. The fact is that the rich marine environment many of us have enjoyed throughout our lives is under extreme stress from human activity. Without a shift in our approach, our …

This year’s theme for WED – Go Wild for Life – encourages you to celebrate all those species under threat and take action of your own to help safeguard them for future generations. This can be about animals or plants that are threatened within your local area as well as at the national or global …

Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and is a period for self-examination, prayer, charity, and special religious devotion.  Ramadan is a month of obligatory fasting during daylight hours for many adult Muslims; this observance is one of the basic acts of faith.  The Ramadan season commemorates the time when the Quran was …

May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. A rather broad term, Asian-Pacific encompasses all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. U.S. GOVERNMENT TEXTS Presidential Proclamation — Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2016 [Source: The White House] Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are the fastest growing racial group in our …

Every year, May 3rd is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession. [Source: Department of State] World Press Freedom Day [Source: U.S. Department of State] “To those who …

Each April, the United States celebrates Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM), an opportunity to savor a major American contribution to world culture. Initiated by the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, JAM aims to focus public attention on the music, and on the many talented composers, musicians and other contributors to the sound. [Source: Department …

Each year around the world, International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. Thousands of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. Organisations, governments, charities, educational institutions, women’s groups, corporations and the media celebrate the day. [Source: Department of State] U.S. …

Black History Month was the inspiration of Carter G. Woodson, a noted scholar and historian, who instituted Negro History Week in 1926. He chose the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln and the abolitionist Frederick Douglass. The celebration was expanded to a month in 1976, the nation’s bicentennial. …