All - Leep Calendar

Dab Day, or Draw a Picture of a Bird Day, is celebrated by soldiers, medical personnel, and their families. Its origin is a story from 1943. It is the story of Dorie Cooper, a seven-year-old girl living in England. One day she visited her uncle in the local hospital, who had lost his leg in the war. Dorie's uncle was distraught, but Dorie asked him to draw her a picture of a bird. The man had no desire for such things, but he indulged his niece and drew a robin on the paper she had given him. When the girl saw the picture, she laughed and told him he wasn't a very good artist, but she would hang the picture on her wall nonetheless. The picture didn't change her uncle's dire situation, but it did make him and his fellow injured soldiers in the ward laugh, brightening their day. After that event, Dorie came to visit often. The men held drawing contests with each visit to see who could impress Dorie the most. Those little drawing events helped guide the soldiers through recovery. Three years later, Dorie died when a car hit her. The men and women from the ward mourned and wept for the little girl that brought them happiness and relief. They filled her coffin with pictures of the bird, and Draw a Bird Day continues to be remembered and celebrated by many veterans and soldiers on the day of her death.

Africa

Apr

Empanada Day, Ntl.: April 8

06:20 AM | -

Empanada, or "delicioco," is a baked bread pocket filled with cooked chicken, cod, or pork mixed with other ingredients, including tomatoes, garlic, and onion. The first known reference to this finger food was during the 12th century. Celebrate National Empanada Day by making your own.

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Apr

Hana Matsuri (B)(JP): April 8

06:20 AM | -

Hana Matsuri, Kanbutsue, or The Flower Festival, is Japan's annual celebration of the Buddha and his birthday. Throughout the country, Buddhist temples are covered in flowers for the celebration.

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Apr

Library Outreach Day, Ntl.: April 8

06:20 AM | -

The Wednesday of National Library Week in the US is National Library Outreach Day (originally National Bookmobile Day). Bookmobiles bring libraries to rural and poor communities that do not have libraries. This practice began in 19th century England, and Mary Titcomb is credited with creating bookmobiles in the United States in 1900. These were known as Biblioburros. In 1912 the first motorized vehicle was used to transport the portable library. Today Library Outreach Day celebrates the men and women who spearhead helping libraries service communities across the country.

Africa

Apr

Pink, International Day of: April 8

06:20 AM | -

International Day of Pink occurs on the second Wednesday of April. It aims to raise awareness about bullying, discrimination, homophobia, transphobia, and transmisogyny worldwide. Numerous volunteer-organized events and activities in workplaces, schools, and communities occur worldwide. In solidarity, people wear pink to celebrate diversity and acceptance.

Africa

Apr

Roma Day, Intl.: April 8

06:20 AM | -

International Roma Day began on April 8, 1971. It is both a celebration of Roma culture and a highlight of the persecution and discrimination suffered by Europe's Roma community throughout the ages, including the Holocaust.

Africa

Apr

Trading Cards for Grownups Day: April 8

06:20 AM | -

Trading Cards for Grown-ups Day in the United States has a relatively simple message. Trading cards are not just for kids but can also be enjoyed by grown-ups. Brought to you by the kind folks at Wellcat.

Africa

Apr

Zoo Lovers Day, Ntl.: April 8

06:20 AM | -

Zoos originated in the 18th century (The Tower of London once held a Zoo) and have been a family favorite ever since. Zoo Lover's Day is about showing your appreciation for the conservation and educational work Zoos perform, safeguarding species, and giving us a chance to see in person many animals, insects, birds, fish, and reptiles most of us would never have a chance to see. Some zoos have special programs on this day. Check your local zoo for festivities.

Africa

Apr

Alcohol Screening Day, Ntl.: April 9

06:20 AM | -

National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD) is an outreach, education, and screening initiative that raises awareness about harmful and dependent drinking behaviors. It connects individuals who are at risk with treatment options. NASD is held annually on the Thursday of the first full week of April. Thousands of colleges, community-based organizations, and military installations provide the program to the public each year. Take an anonymous screening at http://howdoyouscore.org.

Africa

Apr

Almond Cookie Day, Ntl., Chinese: April 9

06:20 AM | -

Almond Cookie Day honors the almond biscuits, cakes, or cookies that date back to antiquity in China (+/-500 BC). A genuinely international treat, almond cookies are common in various cultures, including China, Europe, and Russia. The basic ingredients are almond paste, sugar/honey, and flour.

Africa

Apr

Anniversary of Nazi Invasion (DK)(1940): Aprl 9

06:20 AM | -

On April 9 each year, Denmark marks the anniversary of the beginning of the five-year occupation (1940 - 1945) by Nazi forces of the Third Reich. Throughout the country, you'll witness the flag of Denmark proudly on display.

Africa

Apr

Antiques Day, Cherish: April 9

06:20 AM | -

Cherish Antiques Day is an unofficial holiday with no sponsor that appeared one day in the middle of Spring Cleaning month, April. Take this opportunity to learn about antiques or take some items you think may be worth something at home to get appraised.

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Apr

Appomattox Day (1865): April 9

06:20 AM | -

On this day, April 9, 1865, (which was also Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is the day Christians celebrate Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem and the Sunday before the resurrection), General Lee's of the Confederate Army surrendered to General Grant of the Union Army at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. This event closed one of the bloodiest eras in American history, known as the Civil War. See the Appomattox Court House Librarian for more details on this historic event.

Africa

Apr

Araw Ng Kagitingan (PH)(1942): April 9

06:20 AM | -

Araw Ng Kagitingan, or the Day of Valor in the Philippines, marks the anniversary of the fall of Bataan on April 9, 1942. Locally it is commemorated through the re-enactment of the Death March. The Japanese army took control of 76,000 Filipino and American soldiers, already near death and starving. They marched them 87 miles. Of the original 76,000, only 54,000 reached their final destination of Camp O'Donnell in Capas, Tarlac. Today is the day Filipinos mark the loss of their countrymen, who accounted for 92 percent of the total prisoners. Araw Ng Kagitingan is a national observance.

Africa

Apr

Deir Yassin Massacre (PS/IL)(1948): April 9

06:20 AM | -

Early on the morning of April 9, 1948, commandos of Menachem Begin's Irgun and the Stern Gang, classified as Zionist terrorist groups internationally, attacked Deir Yassin, a village with about 750 Palestinian residents located outside of the area assigned by the United Nations for the establishment of the state of Israel. The town had a peaceful reputation but was situated on high ground in the corridor between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, making it strategically desirable to the attacking forces. Deir Yassin was slated for occupation under Plan Dalet, the plan created over the previous ten years detailing the Zionist conquest of Palestine. The massacre of its inhabitants occurred under the direction of the predecessor of today's Israel Defense Force, the Haganah, which authorized the Irgun and the Stern Gang to massacre the village's inhabitants. Over 100 men, women, and children were slaughtered and murdered at Deir Yassin. Fifty-three children were orphaned, and the Zionist terrorists callously dumped them along the wall of Jerusalem's Old City, where Miss Hind Husseini found them. She brought the children to relative safety at the American Colony Hotel, and her home would become the Dar El-Tifl El-Arabi orphanage. This event is one of 35 massacres and hundreds of smaller attacks occurring in Palestine during the six months preceding the formation of the state of Israel. More would follow upon statehood. The Arab nations would not attack Israel and its forces until it became a state. They entered the fight on May 15, 1948. Israelis refer to this period as a War for Independence. The people living on the land, the Christians, Druze, and Muslims, refer to it as the Nakba, or The Great Catastrophe. The ethnic cleansing of Palestine by Zionist forces between December 1947 and 1949 is one of the foundational issues causing the continuation of hostilities, the emergence of apartheid, and the unending occupation of the Holy Land. The massacre is remembered by its victims and largely denied or dismissed by its perpetrators. Throughout their ethnic cleansing, Zionist terrorists forced the removal of over 700,000 people from their homes in Palestine between November 30, 1947, and 1949. Under international law, prohibiting the residents' repatriation, which continues today by the state of Israel, is a war crime. Many of these Christian, Druze, and Muslim refugees still hold the keys to the homes they fled. Today the number of Palestinian refugees worldwide exceeds six million, with many made refugees twice after the Six-Day war in 1967 when the remainder of Jordan's West Bank, Syria's Golan Heights, and Egypt's Gaza fell under Israeli occupation. PLEASE NOTE: Zionism is a political idealogy that promotes Jewish supremacy over the whole of historic Palestine. Zionism is not Judaism, nor is it or has it ever been part of the Jewish faith. The majority of Zionists today are Evangelical Christians who promote Zionism to expedite their interpretation of the "Book of Revelation" and Armageddon. This form of Christianity is referred to as Christian Zionism or Dispensationalism. It is a belief held by approximately 400 million, or 20 percent of Christians worldwide. Dispensationalism and Christian Zionism are not part of historic Christianity; most Christians reject it. It originated with a re-interpretation of the Bible in 1832 in Scotland and received a promotion in biblical footnotes added beginning in 1908.

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