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The Six-Day War continues to resonate as a foundational event creating the current facts in Israel. It marks the beginning of the complete military occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights, occupations that continue today via containment, siege, and direct interference with the added strategic tools of massive walls, no man's land, home demolitions, checkpoints, targeted strikes using missiles, tanks, bulldozers, naval and aircraft, a two-tiered legal system, Jewish only colonies, and Jewish only roads throughout the occupied land. The Six-Day War was a stunning military victory for the Israeli army. On that, everyone agrees. Historians have since removed the idealized thinking surrounding this event, the chief being that the state of Israel was under imminent threat of attack and needed to strike first. It was not. In reality, back-channel talks occurred between the United States and Egypt over the Sinai, the portions conquered by Israel in 1967. Egypt would regain the Sinai between 1973 and 1981. Israel continues to control the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and Golan Heights, each of which is an Occupied Territory under International Law. The Six-Day War was a strategic operation to expand Israel's land holdings (referred to by the settler movement as Erez Israel) and military supremacy in the Middle East. The West Bank is home to one of the largest aquifers in the Middle East, and the Gaza Strip sits atop natural gas reserves. The result of the Six-Day War is the ongoing and expanding occupation. There are several excellent books written in the past decades that benefit from declassified historical documents on this issue: Ilan Pappe's "The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine" Benny Morris' "The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem Revisited" Jimmy Carter's "Peace, not Apartheid." David Hirst's "Gun and the Olive Branch: The Roots of Violence in the Middle East." Rashid Khalid's "The Iron Cage: The Story of the Palestinian Struggle for Statehood." Tom Segev's "1967: Israel, the War, and the Year that Transformed the Middle East." The First part of Prof. Ilan Pappe's lecture on the Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine is below. The 40-minute four-part series is viewable here: http://www.youtube.com/user/ilanpappevideos.

Africa

Jun

Skyscraper Month: June

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Skyscraper Month celebrates the diversity of the world's tallest buildings. Louis H. Sullivan created the first skyscraper. A mentor to Frank Lloyd Wright, he is considered the father of the American skyscraper. His most famous buildings include the Guaranty Building in Buffalo, New York; Wainwright Building in St. Louis, Missouri; Schiller Building and Theater in Chicago, Illinois; and the Auditorium Building in Chicago, Illinois. In 2017, 23 countries hosting 69 cities erected 144 skyscrapers worldwide, half of which are in China, breaking the previous record for the number of skyscrapers built in a year. For a building to be considered a skyscraper, it must be a minimum of 660 feet tall/200 meters. Hong Kong leads the world with the most skyscrapers, followed by Shenzhen, New York City, and Dubai. In 2022, China led in constructing skyscrapers with 86 new buildings. The United Arab Emirates came in second at nine, India at eight, and the United States at six. Source: Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/year-in-review/2022

Africa

Jun

Smell Day, World.: June 16

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World Smell Day began in 1988 and celebrates the sense of smell. Dr. George Dodd is the founder and driving force behind World Smell Day (WSD). "On World Smell Day, our olfactory abilities are celebrated in prose, poetry, music, and of course, through scents and aromas. It is a day pregnant with Joycean possibilities and an appreciation of Leopold Bloom's love of scents and aromas."—George Dodd.

Africa

Jun

Smile Power Day: June 15

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National Smile Power Day is celebrated to honor the power of a smile and was likely created by a dental company, though its actual origins have yet to be determined. On National Smile Power Day, people are encouraged to smile at others, for this expression encourages acceptance, appreciation, and calming anxiety.

Africa

Jun

Social Media Day, World: June 30

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Created by Mashable in 2010, World Social Media Day celebrates the phenomenon created after Web 2.0 enabled user-generated content in 2004. Before this, social media, as it is currently known, could not exist. There are currently 100s of social media websites worldwide, but the top as of this writing are Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Tiktok, Reddit, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Pinterest, and Instagram. Most companies will choose two to five platforms to be active on. Love it or hate it, over 70 percent of the world’s population uses at least one social media platform to communicate.

Africa

Jun

Social Petworking Month: June

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Adopt-a-Pet, a non-profit organization based in Los Angeles, California, created Social Petworking Month to house the 30,000 homeless pets in local shelters nationwide. The organization taps into social media to spread information to help homeless pets finally have a home. You can visit the Adopt-a-Pet site, find a pet and share its data on your social media or email.

Africa

Jun

Sorghum Month: June

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June is Sorghum Month. Sorghum, a grain known for its resilience and versatility, has a rich history that spans several continents and thousands of years. In Africa, specifically the northeastern regions, sorghum has been a staple crop for millennia, dating back to approximately 3000 BC in ancient Egyptian civilizations. Its ability to thrive in arid and semi-arid regions made it a vital crop for societies in these harsher climates. Sorghum's journey from Africa to other parts of the world is a story of agricultural adaptation and cultural exchange. Traders introduced the grain to the Middle East and Asia along ancient trade routes, where it became an important food source in these regions as well. Later, traders brought it to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade, where it adapted well to the southern United States and integrated into American agricultural systems. In terms of its culinary uses, sorghum is incredibly versatile. African cuisine features sorghum in traditional dishes such as porridge, bread, and fermented beverages. In the United States, cooks used it as a sweetener, with sorghum syrup being a popular alternative to sugar cane syrup in the South. The grain's mild, nutty flavor makes it a suitable ingredient for various dishes, and it cooks and works into recipes as a replacement for rice or quinoa. Sorghum also holds a significant place in the gluten-free market. As awareness of gluten sensitivities has increased, sorghum flour has become a popular alternative for wheat flour in baking, appealing to those who follow a gluten-free diet. Additionally, the grain is high in nutrients like fiber, protein, and antioxidants, making it a desirable choice for health-conscious consumers. The history of sorghum is not just about its adaptability as a crop; it's also a reflection of human resilience and ingenuity. From its origins in Africa to its spread across the globe, sorghum has played a crucial role in sustaining populations in diverse environments. Today, it continues to be an essential food source worldwide, particularly in developing countries, and its popularity in Western health food markets is a testament to its enduring nutritional value and versatility.

Africa

Jun

Soul Food Month, Ntl.: June

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Soul Food originates with the African diaspora and African American communities and has significantly impacted American cuisine. Some favorites include deep-fried chicken, peach cobbler, and Southern potato salad. Annually in time for picnic season.

Africa

Jun

Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Awareness Month (CA): June

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The Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Ontario designated June as Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Awareness Month. During this month, the Association educates the public about this condition. Spina Bifida is a birth defect occurring in the first month of the pregnancy before most women know they are pregnant. It permanently damages the spinal column and nervous system of the child. Hydrocephalus is a condition where fluid accumulates in the brain cavities, causing the veins to swell and brain damage.

Africa

Jun

Sports America Kids Month: June

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Sports America Kids Sports Month coincides with International Children’s Awareness Month at the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. The objective of this month is to encourage children to play outside, try a new sport, new game, and meet new friends. Throughout the country, various organizations and community groups sponsor events. Check with your local YMCA and recreation center for opportunities in your area.

Africa

Jun

St. Anthony of Padua Feast Day (PT)(1231): June 13

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Celebrating the patron saint of the poor and illiterate, Saint Anthony of Padua's Feast Day falls on the anniversary of his death, June 13, 1231 AD. Saint Anthony of Padua's Feast Day is a national holiday in Portugal. WHY SO MANY FEAST DAYS? Have you ever noticed that there seem to be feast days for just about everything in the Catholic and Orthodox Christian faiths? There is a reason for that. The church granted feast days to allow all subjects of the Crown to take a day off. As most worked six days a week, feast days provided a break that landowners and nobility couldn't deny. If they tried, they were going against the church, and that you did not do. In medieval times, there were approximately 60 feast days a year. Add this to 52 Sundays, Christmas, and Easter; workers received at least 114 days off a year. Contrast that to today. The average American gets 104 weekend days and seven national holidays off work. That's three days less than the commoners of the Dark Ages, just in case you're feeling a little overworked.

Africa

Jun

Stanley Cup Finals: June 3-21 (est)

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Dates for this event are set in late May. Current dates are estimated. The Stanley Cup Finals are the National Hockey League (NHL) championships. The winner is the top team for the year. The first Stanley Cup was held in 1892, backed by Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor of Canada at the time. PLEASE NOTE: Treat all televised and venue-specific events (sporting, concerts, trade shows, etc.) as estimated. Several factors can cause an event to move dates at the last minute, including weather, strikes, natural disasters, political upheaval, conflicting programming, pandemics, and current events. Because of this, always verify the event with the promotor before committing resources. LEEP often estimates dates based on the previous year's schedules, as the final dates are only a few months, weeks, or days before the event. If the date is known to be estimated, you will see an (est) following the date in the title.

Africa

Jun

Stock Exchange Holiday (NYSE Closed): June 19

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Stock Market Holidays are days on which the stock exchange is closed, and no trading occurs on this day.

Africa

Jun

Strawberry Parfait Day, Ntl.: June 25

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National Strawberry Parfait Day is dedicated to this particular parfait. Parfait is French for "perfect," strawberry parfait, served in a glass with cream and strawberries alternating, is a welcome treat in the summer.

Africa

Jun

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day: June 9

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On Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day, people bake strawberry rhubarb pie. This sweet and tangy pie was introduced in the early 1800s.

Africa