Independence Day (Indonesia)
Independence Day of Indonesia is a day that marks when Indonesia was declared independent from the Netherlands. This day is filled with festivities and celebrations. It is believed that even Indonesians in other nations don't miss out on this important day of celebration. A unique thing about the celebration of this day in Indonesia is that all ceremonies are conducted simultaneously in all regions, from schools to official government offices, including the ceremony presided over by the president and attended by different groups, officials, army, veterans, and members of the public.
Liberation Day (Korea)
Korea gained its independence from Japanese colonial rule on August 15, 1945, and the Republic of Korea was established three years later. Every August 15, South Korea commemorates the nation’s liberation from Japanese occupation and the formation of the Republic of Korea which known as the National Liberation Day. This public holiday is celebrated with festivities, ceremonies, and parades nationwide. The Taegeukgi, South Korea’s national flag, is hoisted to honor the heroes who fought for the nation’s freedom.
Queen’s Birthday (Thailand)
Every year during the month of August, Thai households and public places will be decorated with lights, decorations, and portraits of the most beloved Queen Sirikit in celebration of the day of Her birth. Queen Sirikit is regarded as mother to all Thai people, thus her birthday is also celebrated as Mother’s Day and observed as a Thai national holiday. In the morning, an alms-giving ceremony will be held followed by country-wide candle-lighting ceremony and fireworks displays. The Queen’s birthday is celebrated everywhere, but nowhere more than in Bangkok, the capital, especially along Ratchadamnern road and Grand Palace area.
Mountain Day (Japan)
Japan is to introduce a new national holiday called Mountain Day in a move that may ease pressure on the nation’s overworked armies of salarymen. The holiday, scheduled annually for August 11, was created after legislation was passed by Japan’s parliament following lobbying from the Japanese Alpine Club and other mountain-related groups. The new public holiday, which will start from 2016, will celebrate all things mountain-related in Japan, a nation whose culture is founded on nature-inspired Shintoism. The objective of the new legislation stated that the day was created in order to share “opportunities to get familiar with mountains and appreciate blessings form mountains”.
National Day (Singapore)
The National Day of Singapore is celebrated every year on August 9th, in commemoration of the Singapore's independence from Malaysia in 1965. This holiday features a National Day Parade, an address by the Prime Minister of Singapore and fireworks celebrations.
Global Mobile Internet Conference in Indonesia
The world’s most influential conference on mobile comes to Jakarta on August 9th. From Beijing to San Francisco and Tokyo to Bangalore, GMIC is the where the mobile community gathers to learn about the latest innovations and connect with industry thought leaders.
Double Seventh Day/QiXi (China)
The Double Seventh Festival (Qixi Festival) is one of Chinese traditional festivals, and also known as a Chinese Valentine's Day. It falls on the seventh day of the seventh Chinese lunar month. In 2015 it falls on August 20 (Thursday). There is no public holiday for this festival. People usually celebrate Chinese Valentine's Day by giving flowers, chocolates, and other presents, like for Western Valentine's Day, to their loves instead of doing the traditional customs.
Chi Hsi Festival (Taiwan)
Beginning in the period of the Southern and Northern dynasties (420-589 A.D.), the romantic love story of the meeting of the Cowherd and the Weaving Maid once a year on this day has been passed down for more than a thousand years, known as "Chi Hsi" (Seventh Night). In ancient times, Chi Hsi was a festival of women's activities: A day before the 7th day of the month, women purified themselves by observing abstinent rules and bathing, and preparing sacrifices. On the 7th day's evening, women burned incense at the courtyard to worship these two stars. Unmarried girls asked the Cowherd and the Weaving Maid to match them with suitable mates; married women asked to be blessed by giving birth to sons; and middle-aged women sought serenity in the household. Afterwards, the women participated in a contest to see who could be the first to thread a seven-eyed needle, thus replicating the skills of the Weaving Maid. At a time when most women practiced needlework, this contest was both a practical exercise and an entertaining activity. The women's activities associated with Chi Hsi have disappeared in modern times, however, the holiday has gradually evolved into "Chinese Lovers Day," on which couples exchange cards and gifts, thus giving a new meaning to this tradition.
Father's Day (Taiwan)
Taiwan celebrates Father's Day twice a year. Officially this holiday falls on the third Sunday in June, but unofficial celebration is on August 8. Many countries around the world celebrated Father's Day on the third Sunday in June, according to American pattern. China also celebrates this holiday on the same day. However, prior to declaration of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Father's Day was celebrated on August 8. This date is determined by the fact, that “eighth/eighth” (8th day of the 8th month) in Mandarin Chinese sounds as “ba-ba”, very similar to colloquial word “ba-ba”, that stands for “daddy”. People of Taiwan kept the tradition to celebrate Father's Day on August 8. Although this is an unofficial holiday, it's celebrated by many families. Traditional customs are very much alike to those of the rest of the world. Relations between children and their fathers are paid attention to. And every father tries to find time to spend with his children on this day.
2016 Summer Olympics in Rio
The Rio 2016 Summer Olympics i.e., the 2016 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad is a major international multi-sport event celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, as governed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Games will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and hence it is officially known as Rio 2016 also. It will be for the first time that any South American city will host the Olympics Games. The 2016 Summer Olympics will take place from 3rd August to 21 August 2016 and more than 10,500 athletes from 205 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) will take part in this sporting event.
World Breastfeeding Week
The World Breastfeeding Week calls for concerted global action to support women to combine breastfeeding and work. Whether a woman is working in the formal, non-formal or home setting, it is necessary that she is empowered in claiming her and her baby’s right to breastfeed.
1976 Tangshan Earthquake
At 3:42 a.m. on July 28, 1976, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit the sleeping city of Tangshan, in northeastern China. The very large earthquake, striking an area where it was totally unexpected, obliterated the city of Tangshan and killed over 240,000 people - making it the deadliest earthquake of the twentieth century.
World Hepatitis Day
Every year on July 28th, World Hepatitis Day aims to increase the awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis as a major global health threat. All types of viral hepatitis can cause inflammation of the liver; however, hepatitis B and C infection can result in a lifelong, chronic infection. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that nearly 400 million people have chronic viral hepatitis worldwide and most of them do not know they are infected. More than 1 million people die each year from causes related to viral hepatitis, commonly cirrhosis and liver cancer. The date of July 28 was chosen for World Hepatitis Day in honour of the birthday of Nobel Laureate Professor Baruch Samuel Blumberg, who discovered the hepatitis B virus.
Asahna Bucha Day (Thailand)
The first day after the full moon of the eighth lunar month is signals the start of the Buddhist Lent. This runs for three months, and all monks and novices must stay in their temples for the entire duration. Only in extreme emergency can they leave, and even so they must not go beyond seven consecutive nights. Buddhist Lent is considered to be a time for intense meditation and contemplation, where all followers (laymen included) are enjoined to participate. The period ends on the eleventh lunar month, and is considered to be a time for happiness and celebration.
Marine Day (Japan)
Established in 1996, Marine Day, or “Umi no hi”, is a relatively new holiday in Japan. It was originally declared as July 20th, but with the revision of the Holiday Law, the holiday was changed to the third Monday of July. The Holiday Law defines Marine Day as a day “to be grateful for the blessings of the ocean and wish for the prosperity of the maritime nation of Japan.” Marine Day is based on Marine Memorial Day, established in 1941 to commemorate the return of Meiji Emperor Mutsuhito to Yokohama Port after a visit to the northeast area of Japan on the steamboat Meiji Maru in 1876. As it is a modern holiday, there are no particular traditional ceremonies associated with the day. However, in celebration of Marine Day all the national aquariums organize special events, water sports competitions, water shows, and cultural activities relating to the sea take place. Many people take advantage of this summer holiday to have a rather fitting day out at the beach.
World Emoji Day
World Emoji Day falls on July 7. Why? July 17, 2002 was the day Apple unveiled its iCal app at MacWorld 2002. The iOS calendar emoji is a daily flip calendar set to July 17, the app’s “birthday.” In 2015, World Emoji Day received a lot of traction online. #WorldEmojiDay was the top trending item on Twitter, and many companies, from McDonald’s, to Pepsi, to Google, to even Jif, got in on the act. Thirty-eight new emojis will be available in June 2016, including a clown face, a face palm and a selfie, according to Unicode.
Constitution Day (Korea)
Constitution Day in South Korea is on 17 July, which is the day that the Korean Constitution was proclaimed in 1948. It is a day to honour the first constitution of South Korea which was declared by the first National Assembly on 17 July 1948. There are no remarkably special celebrations held to observe Constitution Day, but some activities such as races, marathons, sports, parades may be held. The citizens are not compelled to participate in these activities, but they do so willingly because it is an occasion for joy and celebration, and for interacting with their fellow countrymen. Also, there is a special song played on Constitution Day to commemorate the day.
Eid’l Fitr (Philippines)
Eidul Fitr is an important celebration for Filipino Muslims, marking the end of the month-long fast during Ramadan and marks the beginning of the month Shawwal. Also known as “Eid-al-Fitr”, “Wakas ng Ramadan” and “Pagtatapos ng Pag-aayuno”, it is a national public holiday for all in the Philippines. Originated by the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, Eidul Fitr is a cause for celebration and thanks giving to Allah. Eidul Fitr has been proclaimed a national holiday in the Philippines since 2002, and was the first predominantly Christian country to do so. This proclamation was made to foster peace and goodwill between major religions in the Philippines.
Eid al-Fitr (Indonesia)
Eid al-Fitr, "festival of breaking of the fast", is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. The religious Eid is a single day during which Muslims are not permitted to fast. The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan.