2015 BWF World Championships, Indonesia (Aug 11-16)
The BWF World Championships is a badminton tournament authorized by Badminton World Federation (BWF). Jakarta, Indonesia will host the 2015 BWF World Championships from August 11-16.
National Day (in lieu Singapore)
The National Day of Singapore is celebrated every year on August 9th, in commemoration of the Singapore's independence from Malaysia in the year 1965. This holiday features a National Day Parade, an address by the Prime Minister of Singapore, and fireworks celebrations.
SG50 Public Holiday (Singapore)
As Singapore marks 50 years of independence this year, the President Tony Tan has declared 7 August 2015 a public holiday. This will make for an extended Jubilee Weekend over the 7 to 10 August period so as to enable all Singaporeans to participate in commemorating this special milestone in the nation’s history. A parade will be held at the Padang where the first parade was held in 1966. Over the Jubilee Weekend, many meaningful and inspiring activities have been prepared for Singaporean around the island to participate, such as the ComChest Heartstrings Walk 2015-SG50 Community Heartbeats, Families for Life picnics at the Marina Barrage, and aerial display performances by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Black Knights Team. Also, Gardens by the Bay will create a floral depiction of Singapore’s Story and a SG50 edition of the Garden Rhapsody music and light show.
Parapan American Games, Canada (Aug 7-15)
The 2015 Parapan American Games, officially the V Pan American Games or the 5th Parapan American Games, is a major international multi-sport event that is scheduled to be held from August 7–15, 2015, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with some events held in Golden Horseshoe communities such as Hamilton and Markham among others. Approximately 1,560 athletes are expected to participate in 15 sports. Both the Parapan American and Pan American Games are being organized by the Toronto 2015 Organizing Committee (TO2015). The 2015 Parapan American Games will become the first Parapan American Games hosted by Canada and the second major para-sport event in Toronto after it hosted the 1976 Summer Paralympics. The Games will be held twelve days after the Pan American Games.
Netball World Cup, Australia (Aug 7-16)
The world’s top 16 netball nations will gather in Sydney for the 14th edition of the Netball World Cup (formerly World Netball Championships) from August 7-16, 2015. Held every four years since 1963, the Netball World Cup is a celebration of the continued growth and impact of netball globally with this 14th edition of the event set to be the best and biggest the sport has ever seen. Australia has previously hosted the event on two occasions – Perth in 1967 and Sydney in 1991 – and has enjoyed phenomenal success, having won 10 of the 13 titles to date. While the championship title is the ultimate prize, the Netball World Cup is also a celebration of the continued growth and impact of netball globally. For the first time, the competition will be held over 10 days, and will see top-ranked teams go head-to-head right from the outset.
The Buddhist Lent Day (Thailand)
The Buddhist Lent Day is considered to be one of the most important days for many Thais. It marks the beginning of the Buddhist rain retreat which lasts for three months. Monks will start to reside only in their temples in order to avoid harming the crops during rainy seasons. People will make donations to temples and some buy new robes for monks to express their gratitude.
Special Olympics World Summer Games (USA) – Jul 25-Aug 2
Organized by Special Olympics, the Special Olympics World Games are an international sporting competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities. The 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games will be hosted in Los Angeles, California from July 25 to August 2. The 2015 Games will feature competitions in aquatics, gymnastics, track and field, basketball, football (soccer) and many other summer sports involving 7,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities from around the world.
World Swimming Champs, Russia (July 24 – Aug 9)
The 16th FINA World Championships will be held in Kazan, Russia from July 24 to August 9, 2015. FINA, the Fédération Internationale de Natation, is the world governing body for the five Aquatic Disciplines of Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Synchronised Swimming and Water Polo. This international event will promote aquatic sports in the city and the Republic in general, along with promoting the national goal of healthy lifestyles and a legacy of youth oriented sports activities for the future of the country.
Cuti Bersama (Indonesia)
Cuti bersama, also the “joint holiday”, is a public holiday in Indonesia. Cuti bersama was introduced by the Indonesian government as a means of stimulating tourism within the country and increasing the efficiency of public servants. The holiday is counted in public servants' overall leave. Most private companies and businesses follow this concept by adjusting employees' annual leave in line with government policy.
Cuti Bersama (Indonesia)
Cuti bersama, also the “joint holiday”, is a public holiday in Indonesia. Cuti bersama was introduced by the Indonesian government as a means of stimulating tourism within the country and increasing the efficiency of public servants. The holiday is counted in public servants' overall leave. Most private companies and businesses follow this concept by adjusting employees' annual leave in line with government policy.
Hari Raya Puasa (Indonesia)
Hari Raya Puasa is the celebration at the end of the Ramadan month of fasting. It is also known as the festival of Eid or as Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Hari Raya Puasa falls on the first day of Syawal, the tenth month of the Hijrah (Islamic) lunar calendar. Because it depends on the lunar calendar, the date varies each year. In Malaysia, Hari Raya means the ‘grand day of rejoicing’ and, in Singapore, it is a great Muslim festival that recognises the demonstration of self-restraint during Ramadan, and symbolises purification and renewal. It is also a time of forgiveness and children often visit their parents and ask for forgiveness for any offences over the previous year. From the 20th day of Ramadan, oil lamps are lit in homes and mosques and burn until the end of the festival. For Hari Raya Puasa, people thoroughly clean and decorate their homes and put on new clothes. The men often wear Baju Melayu (a loose shirt with trousers) with kain samping (a short sarong), while the Baju Kurung is often worn by women. Families usually dress in the same colour to represent unity. Early in the day on Hari Raya Puasa, Muslims go to the mosques for prayers, then to visit the graves. In the evening at the mosques, they recite the takbir. During the afternoon, families and close friends gather together for a thanksgiving feast where forgiveness and blessing is sought from one another. Duit raya, green envelopes containing gifts of money, are often given to children and the elderly then everyone enjoys the food specialties such as beef rendang, satay, sambal sotong, ketupat and lontong followed by lemang, cookies, cakes, biscuits, sweets and pineapple tarts.
Cuti Bersama (Indonesia)
Cuti bersama, also the “joint holiday”, is a public holiday in Indonesia. Cuti bersama was introduced by the Indonesian government as a means of stimulating tourism within the country and increasing the efficiency of public servants. The holiday is counted in public servants' overall leave. Most private companies and businesses follow this concept by adjusting employees' annual leave in line with government policy.
Hari Raya Puasa 2nd Day (Malaysia)
Hari Raya Puasa is the celebration at the end of the Ramadan month of fasting. It is also known as the festival of Eid or as Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Hari Raya Puasa falls on the first day of Syawal, the tenth month of the Hijrah (Islamic) lunar calendar. Because it depends on the lunar calendar, the date varies each year. In Malaysia, Hari Raya means the ‘grand day of rejoicing’ and, in Singapore, it is a great Muslim festival that recognises the demonstration of self-restraint during Ramadan, and symbolises purification and renewal. It is also a time of forgiveness and children often visit their parents and ask for forgiveness for any offences over the previous year. From the 20th day of Ramadan, oil lamps are lit in homes and mosques and burn until the end of the festival. For Hari Raya Puasa, people thoroughly clean and decorate their homes and put on new clothes. The men often wear Baju Melayu (a loose shirt with trousers) with kain samping (a short sarong), while the Baju Kurung is often worn by women. Families usually dress in the same colour to represent unity. Early in the day on Hari Raya Puasa, Muslims go to the mosques for prayers, then to visit the graves. In the evening at the mosques, they recite the takbir. During the afternoon, families and close friends gather together for a thanksgiving feast where forgiveness and blessing is sought from one another. Duit raya, green envelopes containing gifts of money, are often given to children and the elderly then everyone enjoys the food specialties such as beef rendang, satay, sambal sotong, ketupat and lontong followed by lemang, cookies, cakes, biscuits, sweets and pineapple tarts.
Dragon Boat Festival (in lieu Taiwan)
The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Tuen Ng or Duanwu Festival, is a traditional holiday that commemorates the life and death of the famous Chinese scholar Qu Yuan. The festival occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. The Dragon Boat Festival is a celebration where many eat zongzi (sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves), drinking realgar wine and race dragon boats. Every year, Hong Kong hosts a 3-day dragon boat carnival that celebrates the festival with the heart-stopping dragon boat race, ice-cold beer and cheer from the fans urging the dragon boat paddlers on to the finish line. Similar to Hong Kong, Taiwanese celebrate the day with zongzi and dragon boat races, and also hanging portraits of Zhong Kuei, calamus, and moxa on the front door are believed to keep evils away and bring peace.
FIFA Women's World Cup, Canada (June 6- July 5)
The FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ marks the first major sporting event hosted in Canada from coast to coast, with matches to be played in: Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montréal and Moncton. It is the largest women’s single sport competition in the world and its coveted Winner’s Trophy is the ultimate prize in women’s soccer. For the first time, 24 national women’s soccer teams will participate at the FIFA Women’s World Cup™. Over the last 24 years, the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ has grown from 45 to 129 participating nations. As hosts Canada has automatically qualified for the tournament with the other 128 nations competing in 398 qualification matches from April 2013 to December 2014. In all, 52 matches will be played in the final competition. Canada will welcome athletes from Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, the Caribbean, and Oceania.
SEA Games (Singapore)
The Southeast Asian Games, also called the SEA Games, is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Brunei, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, and Timor-Leste. The games are under regulation of the Southeast Asian Games Federation with supervision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia. Unlike the Olympic Games, there are no official limits to the number of sports which may be contested, and the range may be decided by the organising host pending approval by the Southeast Asian Games Federation. Albeit for some core sports which must be featured, the host is also free to introduce other sports. Over time, this has meant as much as 43 sports in the 24th edition of the games, and the programme has included relatively obscure sports such as arnis, finswimming and pétanque. For the 28th SEA Games hosted by Singapore in 2015, 36 sports and 402 events will be featured, including aquatics (swimming, synchronised swimming, diving, waterpolo), archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, billiards & snooker, bowling, boxing, canoeing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, floorball, football, golf, gymnastics, hockey, judo, netball, petanque, rowing, rugby 7s, sailing, sepak takraw, shooting, silat, softball, squash, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, dragon boat, triathlon, volleyball, wakeboard & waterski, and wushu.
Vesak Day (Singapore)
Vesak Day in Singapore is a holy day celebrated by Buddhists. It represents the birth, the Nirvana (enlightenment) and the Parinirvana (death) of Gautama Buddha and is the most significant day of the Buddhist calendar. Vesak Day usually falls in May, on the 15th day of the fourth month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar, and is considered a public holiday in most of the South East Asia countries like Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand. On Vesak Day, temples are decorated with flags and flowers. Devoted Buddhists and many observers of the faith congregate at their temple before dawn, saffron-clad monks chant the sutras, the Buddhist flag is raised and the people sing hymns to celebrate the Buddha, the Dharma (his teachings) and the Sangha (his disciples).