All - Leep Calendar

Freethinkers Day, also known as Thomas Paine Day, is an opportunity to promote appreciation of free thought in honor of the life and works of Thomas Paine. Free thought supports reason over faith and rejects arbitrary authority. Thomas Paine was a courageous freethinker whose work inspired great social and political advancement across the world. Raised in England, Paine played a vital role in the American and French Revolutions. His books and pamphlets, including "The Age of Reason," "The Rights of Man," and "Common Sense," gained a mass audience for the liberating philosophy of the Enlightenment. In the 1990s, the Truth-seeker magazine began celebrating Freethinkers Day on Thomas Paine's birthday to educate the public on the importance of Thomas Paine in the history of freedom. Also in the 1990s, the Thomas Paine Foundation began celebrating the birthday of Thomas Paine on January 29, a Thomas Paine Day proclamation on June 8, and other Paine theme events during the year.

Africa

Jan

Leprosy Day, World: January 29

06:20 AM | -

World Leprosy Day takes place on the last Sunday in January. The day aims to raise awareness of a disease that many people believe is extinct, when in fact, around 210,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. The first documented case occurred near 600 BC. The last Sunday in January was chosen by French humanitarian Raoul Follereau in 1953 as the third Sunday from Epiphany from the Catholic calendar. The Catholic Church then reads the story of The Gospel of Luke, where Jesus meets and heals a person with leprosy.

Africa

Jan

NFC Championship Game: January 29

06:20 AM | -

The National Football Conference (NFC) is one of two divisions in the National Football League (NFL). The NFC Championship game is the last game of the season. The winner of this game goes on to the Super Bowl to play the winner of the other division, the American Football Conference (AFC), game. The Super Bowl determines that season's world champion. 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

Jan

Puzzle Day, Ntl. (UK)(1767): January 29

06:20 AM | -

National Puzzle Day in the United Kingdom and the United States celebrates brain teasers. It's an opportunity to test your wit at problem-solving intellectually or spatially. Riddles have been around for thousands of years and can be found in every major world culture. The first commercially produced puzzle was a jigsaw puzzle created in 1767 and was map cut into pieces. Today, puzzles can be physical (like jigsaw puzzles or rubric cubes), written such as crosswords, Sudoku, and riddles, or electronic such as apps or games.

Africa

Jan

Seeing Eye Dog Day, Ntl. (1929): January 29

06:20 AM | -

National Seeing-eye Dog Day celebrates seeing-eye dogs. This day marks the anniversary of the creation of The Seeing Eye on January 29, 1929, the organization that pioneered seeing-eye dogs. Usually seeing eye dogs are Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, or German Shepherds since these are some of the most intelligent breeds capable of complex training. Additionally, these breeds tend to be calm, focused, friendly, and loyal. Dogs have been companions of humans with disabilities since ancient Roman times, and there are records of dogs leading the blind during that era. The first attempt to train dogs as eyes for human beings occurred in Paris in 1780 at the school for the blind. In 1788 Josef Riesinger, blind himself, successfully trained his Spitz to be his helper in Vienna, Austria. Guide dogs for the blind didn't take off until 1927 when Dorothy Eustis published an article in the Saturday Evening Post about her efforts in training dogs for the blind. It was read to Morris Frank, himself blind. Together Eustis and Frank went to Switzerland and trained the first official seeing-eye dog, Buddy. They established a school in Switzerland to train more dogs in 1928. Buddy was introduced to The Seeing Eye in Morristown, New Jersey, in 1929, and from there, seeing-eye dogs grew in popularity and utility.

Africa

Jan

ALA Youth Media Awards: January 30

06:20 AM | -

The American Library Association honors books, videos, and other outstanding materials for children and teens each year. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, the ALA Youth Media Awards, including the prestigious Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and Coretta Scott King Book Awards, guide parents, educators, librarians, and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by committees composed of librarians and other literature and media experts, the awards encourage original and creative work in children's and young adult literature and media. 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

Jan

Bell, Let's Talk Day (CA): January 30

06:20 AM | -

Focused on mental illness, Bell—Let's Talk was created in 2010 to raise awareness about the millions of Canadians struggling with mental illness and remove the stigma of discussing it. Bell—Let's Talk is also a national fundraising event for Bell Canada and its work in mental health.

Africa

Jan

Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day: January 30

06:20 AM | -

Jim Webster created Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day over a decade ago to celebrate his affinity for the crackle and pop associated with the shipping material created by the Sealed Air Corporation, bubble wrap. This invention was trademarked in 1957 and introduced to the public in 1960. This event puts the fun into the workweek. Therefore it always occurs on the last Monday in January and provides the perfect excuse to stomp on some bubble wrap and annoy your coworkers. Happy Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day!

Africa

Jan

Comics Festival, Angouleme (FR): January 30 - February 2

06:20 AM | -

The largest comics show in Europe, Angouleme Comics Festival attracts over 200,000 enthusiasts each year. The event began in 1974. 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

Jan

Croissant Day, Ntl.: January 30

06:20 AM | -

National Croissant Day celebrates the airy pastry called the croissant. A popular legend says croissants first appeared in 1683 in Austria. At that time, the Ottoman Empire besieged Vienna, Austria. Austria outlast the siege. Tall tales suggest they celebrated victory over the Islamic empire with crescent-shaped pastries. Why a crescent? It's the symbol of Islam—or is it? Here's the problem with that legend. The crescent and star were not associated with Islam until the late 1700s when the Ottoman Empire emblazoned their flag with the symbol. Before that, there was no universal symbol for Islam like the cross or fish in Christianity. The Star of David, likewise, is not an ancient symbol for Judaism. The star was adopted by the Zionist movement at the turn of the last century and represents a political movement associated with the faith. The star and crescent exist on artifacts dating back to the Bronze Age (3300 BC to 1200 BC). It is found on Roman coins, within the symbols of the Knights Templar, and in various Christian iconography. So if the legend about 17th-century bakers in Austria is incorrect, where did croissants come from? Croissants are the children of a 13th-century bread called the Kipferi, a crusted yeast bread baked in a 3/4 circle. The baking style required to make a croissant incorporates layers of yeast bread with butter folded on each other, then twisted. This technique first appeared in the late 1830s in France at August Zang's Pastry shop in Paris, the Boulangerie Viennoise. Zang was Austrian, so Austria is part of the story. Zang took his light-layered creation and folded its ends toward each other, forming the now iconic crescent shape. By 1869, the croissant made its way to breakfast tables throughout France and had become a staple. The puff pastry received one more boost in popularity when Charles Dickens mentioned it in his periodical "All the Year Round" in 1872. Now you know the brief history of one of the world's favorite carbs, the croissant, and the origins of religious trademarks. With today being Croissant Day, why not indulge in one yourself?

Africa

Jan

Escape Day, Ntl.: January 30

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National Escape Day is your license to escape from what you are doing to do whatever you want to do. Situated at the end of January in the doldrums of winter, it is also the perfect time to plan your next vacation. Where would you like to be right now? Skiing down a mountain? Sailing Croatia? Basking in Bali? Today is your day to plan your escape and live it—even if it is only within your mind. There are many ways to celebrate this day, but the most important thing is to have fun.

Africa

Jan

Inane Answering Message Day, Ntl.: January 30

06:20 AM | -

Inane Answering Message Day eradicates the earth of boring electronic greetings and spicing things up—brought to you by the people at Wellcat.

Africa

Jan

Kings Birthday, (JO)(1962): January 30

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The King's Birthday in Jordan marks King Abdullah II's birth on January 30, 1962. The King's Birthday is a national holiday.

Africa

Jan

Tax Identity Theft Prevention Week, National: January 30 - February 3

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Beginning in 2014, the Federal Trade Commission launched an awareness campaign under National Tax Identity Theft Prevention Week. Tax identity theft happens when someone uses your Social Security number to get a tax refund or a job. Find out what you can do about it and how you can help others during Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week. The FTC has set up several resources for Americans to learn how to protect themselves from identity theft at: http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft.

Africa

Jan

Tropical Diseases Day, World Neglected: January 30

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Beginning in 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) created World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day to raise awareness and resources to treat and prevent many tropical diseases. From WHO "Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of 20 conditions1 that are mainly prevalent in tropical areas, where they mostly affect impoverished communities and disproportionately affect women and children. These diseases cause devastating health, social and economic consequences to more than one billion people. The epidemiology of NTDs is complex and often related to environmental conditions. Many are vector-borne, have animal reservoirs, and are associated with complex life cycles. All these factors make their public-health control challenging. ------------------------------------- 1. NTDs include: Buruli ulcer, Chagas disease, dengue and chikungunya, dracunculiasis (Guinea-worm disease), echinococcosis, foodborne trematodiases, human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), leishmaniasis, leprosy (Hansen’s disease), lymphatic filariasis, mycetoma, chromoblastomycosis and other deep mycoses, onchocerciasis (river blindness), rabies, scabies and other ectoparasitoses, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiases, snakebite envenoming, taeniasis/cysticercosis, trachoma, and yaws and other endemic treponematoses."

Africa