All - Leep Calendar

International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia is not one centralized campaign; rather it is a moment that everyone can take advantage of to take action. The date of May 17th was specifically chosen to commemorate the World Health Organization’s decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder. International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia has received official recognition from several States, international institutions as the European Parliament, and by countless local authorities. Most United Nations agencies also mark the Day with specific events.

Africa

May

Jyeshtha (H): May 17 - June 14

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Jyeshtha or Jyaistha is the third month of the Hindu calendar. This corresponds to May-June in the Gregorian calendar. PLEASE NOTE: We use the Indian Civil Calendar, which is the official holiday calendar in India, the largest Hindu nation. The Hindu faith has many calendars, each specific to different regions and tribes with dates and celebrations marked by differing positions of the sun, moon and stars. Names of months and holidays, as well as the corresponding dates in the Gregorian Calendar, vary widely from one calendar to the next. Use our dates as a baseline. Find out which of the dozens of Hindu calendars is used in the region you live or plan to visit if you are looking to attend or witness a specific observance.

Africa

May

Narada Jayanti (H): May 17

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The transition of sun from Mesha rashi to Vrishabha rashi takes place during Vrishabha Sankranti. Giving cows as gift is considered auspicious on this day. Devotees visit Vishnu temples and pray Lord Vishnu grants them the wisdom to choose between good over evil. PLEASE NOTE: We use the Indian Civil Calendar, which is the official holiday calendar in India, the largest Hindu nation. The Hindu faith has many calendars, each specific to different regions and tribes with dates and celebrations marked by differing positions of the sun, moon and stars. Names of months and holidays, as well as the corresponding dates in the Gregorian Calendar, vary widely from one calendar to the next. Use our dates as a baseline. Find out which of the dozens of Hindu calendars is used in the region you live or plan to visit if you are looking to attend or witness a specific observance.

Africa

May

PGA Championship (US-OK) May 19-22

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The PGA Championship was first played in 1918. This major golf tournament draws the world's best professional golfers. It is the final major of the year. The US PGA was an offshoot of the United States Golf Association (USGA), the first official golf organization in the country, which was formed in 1894. Its advocacy played a key role in making golf one of the most popular sports in the US. The PGA was officially established in February 1916 following a luncheon hosted by Rodman Wanamaker at the Wykagyl Country Club. The first tournament was held at the Siwanoy Country Club in New York in October 1916. The winner, Jim Barnes, was awarded a gold medal with diamond studs and $500 in cash.

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May

Road Safety Week, Canadian (CA): May 17-23

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Midway through Aggressive Driving Month, the Canadian Safety Council chooses one week to intensify its focus on younger drivers and fostering safe driving habits. This is that week. According to Transport Canada, young driver and passenger fatalities continue to be very noticeable in motor vehicle collision statistics. Nearly 23 per cent of motor vehicle fatalities were 15 to 24 year old's in 2010, even though this age group makes up only 13 per cent of the Canadian population. Put another way, over 500 young people are killed each year in road crashes in Canada and a further 40,000 are injured, many seriously. Areas to focus on improving safety among young drivers include seatbelt use, impaired driving and distracted driving.

Africa

May

Telecommunications & Information Society Day, World (1865): May 17

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World Telecommunications & Information Society Day (WTISD) is promoted by the ITU, the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies. WTISD celebrates telecommunication and information achievements of society, its effects on us importance in keeping us apprised of happenings throughout the world. The day marks the anniversary of the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union on May 17, 1865 in Paris, France.

Africa

May

AIDS Vaccine Awareness Day: May 18

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HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (HVAD) is an annual observance recognizing and thanking the thousands of volunteers, community members, health professionals, and scientists working together to find a safe and effective HIV vaccine. It is also a day to educate communities about the importance of preventive HIV vaccine research.

Africa

May

Dirty Dishes Day, (No): May 18

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No Dirty Dishes Day probably came about out of frustration in some office cafeteria. Have you ever noticed that when you don’t live there, people tend to put dishes in the sink until they pile up? In the office lunch room, this seems to happen even faster. Dirty dishes in the sink can be an annoying and an unhealthful problem if left unattended. Dirty dishes, counters and floors attract a number of disease carrying scavengers including roaches, ants, flies, mice and rats. Left unattended, dirty dishes can grow bacteria and mold, leading to allergies and sickness. But even simply washing dishes isn’t always enough. Most home dishwashers cannot sanitize dishes, which means even though they may be clean to the eye, they still have germs and bacteria. In order to disinfect dishes, they must be rinsed with a disinfectant (like bleach or industrial chemical) or rinsed (or exposed to heat) for at least 10 seconds in water above 82 degrees Celsius or 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Whether it is in your office break room or at home, pledge today to leave no dirty dishes in the sink or elsewhere. After all, it is the best way to celebrate the day.

Africa

May

Employee Health & Fitness Day, Ntl.: May 18

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Employee Health & Fitness Day is part of Employee Health & Fitness Month (EHFM). This is a national observance promoting health and fitness in the workplace. It was created by two non-profit organizations, the National Association for Health and Fitness and ACTIVE Life. The goal of EHFM is to promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle to employers and their employees through worksite health promotion activities and environments.

Africa

May

Europa League Final (ES): May 18

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This is the final football (soccer) game of the season for the UEFA (Union of European Football Association) in the adult men’s division. The UEFA includes teams from Europe and areas of Asia including Kazakhstan, Israel and Russia. This is one of the most anticipated games of the year.

Africa

May

Lag B'Omer (J): May 18/19

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Bonfires, haircuts and weddings, what do all these things have in common? The Jewish holiday of Lag B'Omer. Lag B’Omer marks the anniversary of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s death (approximately 120AD - 199 AD), the author of the Zohar and the teachings of Jewish mysticism known as Kabbalah. The Hassidic teachers of the faith believe that a person’s good works culminate in their impact on the day of their death. This and the Rabbi’s request that his life be celebrated with joy, is the reason for marking this 33rd day between Passover and Shavuot. Best way to celebrate today? Gather your friends around the bonfire!

Africa

May

Mount Saint Helens Eruption (US-WA)(1980): May 18

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Today is the 40th anniversary of the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens. This Plinian eruption was in the same category as the infamous Mt Vesuvius eruption of 79AD and ranked five on the Volcanic Explosivity Index. That index measures volcanos on a scale of 1-7. Seven would match the volcanic eruption 600,000 years ago that created the Yellowstone Caldera and covered over 100 cubed kilometers. By contrast, Mt. St. Helens blew out 1 cubed kilometers. The blast cloud traveled as far as 17 miles northward from the volcano and the landslide traveled about 14 miles west down the North Fork Toutle River. Prevailing winds blew 520 million tons of ash eastward across the United States and caused complete darkness in Spokane, Washington, 250 miles from the volcano. Fifty-seven people lost their lives as a result of the eruption, in addition to over 7000 big game animals and around 12-million salmon. Personal note from Laura: My family had just moved to Portland, Oregon from the Silicon Valley in January of 1980, when in February and March, rumblings began to be heard on the mountain. We traded earthquakes for volcanos it seemed. On May 18th, the mountain completely exploded. You could see the cloud from Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon. That first major explosion blew east, rather than west where we lived. For weeks following it one could follow the ash cloud spread in a large funnel shape from its origin, over the Rockies and into the Dakotas. The cloud was so large and dense in ash, it could be clearly seen from outer space. I remember my father loading us in the FIAT and taking us to the top of Skyline Drive, which runs along the hills separating where we lived from the city of Portland and the Willamette River. It seemed to go on and on, as high as the eye could see. The mountain seemed to cough up billow after billow of gas and hot ash. We’d never seen anything like it. The entire top of the mountain, we would later discover, had been blown off. Over the next several months the mountain continued to erupt, with the wind not always in our favor. One particular Saturday my parents held a garage sale. When we walked outside, it looked like it was snowing. It wasn’t. It was ash, falling from the sky and covering it in several inches of grey, flaky dusk. That dust got into everything and when it rained, it turned into a thick paste. We had to walk around for days with monkey masks (disposable medical masks), which as a young teen, I really hated. But, the air was too thick to breathe. One of the aspects I remember fondly was when my father allowed me to help him take apart the engine of the FIAT and clean it. Every part was caked in ash dust. Thank heaven it wasn’t as complicated as today’s engines. It had a manual choke, and no radio. It was a great learning experience and a great father-daughter project. Little did I know in a few years, that car would be mine. For those of us who witnessed Mount Saint Helens and her eruption, it is something we’ll never forget. For us, far away, it was curiosity. For those close, fifty-seven people lost their lives. Most from inhaling scalding ash. Round about the 25th anniversary I found myself in Oregon again. Now in my thirties, I drove my car up to the mountain, which was again open. The forest was beginning to come back. Animals had returned and for a moment it was difficult to believe the event ever happened. Until, one glanced skyward and saw. A crater where a rounded dome once stood, a mountain top shaved. Oh yes, now, I remember. I remember well.

Africa

May

Museum Day, Intl.: May 18

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International Museum Day first ran in 1977 and has continued each year since. This is a day to celebrate the world's museums, no matter how big or small and their contribution to the science, culture and heritage. Currently over 30,000 museums in 120 countries participate in this event. ICOM Advisory Committee decides each year’s theme.

Africa

May

Ride of Silence, Intl.: May 18

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In 2003, Chris Phelan organized the first Ride of Silence in Dallas after endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz was hit by the mirror of a passing bus and was killed. The Ride of Silence is a free ride that asks its cyclists to ride no faster than 12 mph and remain silent during the ride. There are no sponsors and no registration fees. The ride, which is held during National Bike Month, aims to raise the awareness of motorists, police and city officials that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways. The ride is also a chance to show respect for those who have been killed or injured. As of 2010 this has become an international event with riders throughout the world joining in solidarity to honor those whom have died in bicycle accidents. This event occurs on the third Wednesday in May, unless it is rained out. The alternate day is the Saturday following the third Sunday.

Africa

May

Visit Your Relatives Day: May 18

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When was the last time you visited family? For some of us it is a daily occurrence. For others, it can be decades. Visit Your Relatives Day is a reminder of the importance of keeping in touch with those in kin and keep the family ties strong. Sponsored annually by AC Vierow.

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