All - Leep Calendar

The 150 Polynesian islands comprising Tonga were granted independence from the British Empire on June 4, 1970. Emancipation Day is the national holiday marking this anniversary.

Africa

Oct

Emmy Awards, Daytime: October 17

06:20 AM | -

The Daytime Emmy Awards honor excellence in all fields of broadcast production segmented into 68 categories, including series, performers, technical and creative. The awards pay tribute to exceptional work in daytime broadcasting.

Africa

Jun

Energy Shopping Day, Ntl.: June 23

06:20 AM | -

National Energy Shopping Day encourages consumers and businesses in deregulated states to check their energy contracts and shop for a fixed-rate energy supplier. Annually on the first Monday of Summer. Energy Supply Shopping 101 Most people cannot choose which company delivers their electricity or gas to their homes or businesses, and utilities are essentially monopolies. However, on that gas and electric bill, you're paying three different entities, at the minimum: the service provider (your electric or gas company); the government (taxes and fees); and the supplier, the actual gas or electricity you use. You can't do anything about the service provider (except go off the grid). The only way to change anything about the taxes is to lobby your government. You can do something about the supply, though; that is where Energy Shopping Day comes in. Gas and electricity are commodities. That means they are traded on the commodities market daily, and the actual price fluctuates daily. Most businesses of any size, if they're in one of the 37 states with energy deregulation, tend to apply fixed-rate contracts to their gas and electric supply to protect against price volatility. It is like signing a lease for rent or a fixed-rate mortgage. You know what you'll pay for a set period, and even if the landlord raises everyone else's rent, your rent doesn't go up until your lease ends. For example, after the 2008 economic crisis, electric and natural gas supply prices increased nearly 100% over the next three years. By 2014, they were at all-time highs. Companies and residents locked in their fixed rates with suppliers didn't experience the wild price increases, and they paid whatever they had agreed to pay on their 12-60 month contracts. What about businesses that signed fixed-rate contracts at the height of the market in 2014 and 2015? The market tanked in 2016 and 2017 again. If a company signed up with a broker rather than an individual supplier, they're usually covered. Reputable brokers watch the market and re-negotiate with all their suppliers when the market drops dramatically for an extended period. They then redo their clients at lower rates, choosing from whichever supplier has the best rate for that client's usage. Brokers aren't locked into a specific supplier. The business or residence is protected against large fluctuations in the market while given a "get out clause" if everything goes south. Over three to five years, the Canadian government and US government reporting agencies and several news organizations have shown that companies opting for fixed-rate energy contracts pay less over the full term. There may be a month, quarter, or even a year in that contract that they pay a little more than the variable rate. However, over a long time, choosing a supplier not only increases your accuracy at budgeting (you know what your usage was last year, so you can accurately calculate total cost this year now that you know what the energy will cost) but it also protects you from the unknown: hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, political instability in energy supplying nations, extended cold weather, pandemics and anything else that might affect supply and demand that is beyond your control. What's the caveat? If you're not working with a broker (brokers prevent this from happening), you must keep a close eye on when your contract expires and renew before then. People and businesses that sign up for "introductory offers" or fail to renew their contracts before expiration will start to see their rates skyrocket once out of contract. They return to variable rates, whatever the supplier wants to charge. Going back to the lease versus month-to-month rent, on a lease, your rent cannot go up. Once the lease expires, the landlord can raise your rent monthly if you haven't signed a new one. It's the same principle with energy supply contracts.

Africa

Jun

Entrepreneurs Do it Yourself Marketing Month: June

06:20 AM | -

Research, Strategy, Promotion, and Public Relations, are the four primary disciplines of Marketing. Entrepreneurs, of course, often find themselves in charge of marketing, finance, operations, and everything else (there are a lot of hats to being an entrepreneur). Entrepreneurs Do it Yourself Marketing Month is about learning to market your company and what tools and research are available to help you do this. Resources exist on LinkedIn. The American Marketing Association has hundreds of online courses and templates to help. YouTube, Coursera, Small Business Administration, and other online educational platforms exist to help you get a handle on your marketing and grow your company.

Africa

Jun

Environment Day, World: June 5

06:20 AM | -

World Environment Day aims to raise awareness of the importance of protecting nature and the planet proactively. This awareness campaign is sponsored by the United Nations Environment Program and was created by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 as an initiative for the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. Parades, rallies, tree-planting activities, and clean-up campaigns are held worldwide.

Africa

Jun

Evacuation Day (EG) (1954): June 18

06:20 AM | -

On June 18, 1954, the British army formerly withdrew from the Suez Canal region of Egypt. Evacuation Day is a national holiday that celebrates that event.

Africa

Jun

Evacuation Day, American (LY)(1970): June 11

06:20 AM | -

Evacuation Day commemorates June 11, 1970, when American troops evacuated from Libyan soil and its ports. There are several evacuation days in Libya marking various departures, including March 28, 1970, British Evacuation Day. October 7, 1970, Italian Evacuation Day.

Africa

Jun

Exchange Day, Ntl. Adoption (UK): June 14*

06:20 AM | -

Adoption Exchange Days (AEDs) are events held in the United Kingdom to facilitate adoption by bringing together prospective adoptive families and children waiting for adoption. These events include adoption agencies, local authorities, and adoption support organizations in collaboration with one another. The main goals of Adoption Exchange Days are to: Increase the visibility of children waiting for adoption: AEDs help raise awareness about children who need adoptive families. Many of these children may have special needs, come from sibling groups, or be older, making it more challenging to find a forever home. Provide information and support: AEDs allow prospective adoptive parents to gather information about the adoption process and learn about the available support services. These events often feature workshops, seminars, and presentations from experienced professionals and adoptive families. Facilitate connections: By bringing together prospective adoptive parents and children waiting for adoption, AEDs allow both parties to interact and potentially form connections, which is crucial in helping the children find families they can thrive with. Improve the adoption process: AEDs help streamline the adoption process by offering a centralized location for families to learn about available children and the support they need, leading to more successful matches and reducing the time children wait in the care system. While Adoption Exchange Days have proved successful in helping many children find their forever families, some critics argue that these events can feel like a "shopping experience" or "beauty pageant" for children. To address these concerns, organizers strive to create a sensitive, supportive environment that respects the children's and families' dignity.

Africa

Jun

Fairy Day, Intl.: June 24

06:20 AM | -

Numerous historical accounts testify that fairies appeared in Greek mythology about 3,000 years ago, but their popularity has increased over the years. According to legends, the worlds of humans and fairies overlap or mingle only during the summer months. In mainstream culture, the world's most famous fairies come from William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and J. M. Barrie's character Tinkerbell from "Peter Pan: The Boy Who Would Never Grow Up." Fairy Day is for everyone who believes in the magic of fairytales.

Africa

Jun

Falafel Day, Intl.: June 12

06:20 AM | -

The vegetarian favorite, falafel, is believed to have originated in Egypt with Coptic Christians as a substitute for meat during the forty days of Lent. The actual history is unknown, but this is plausible. Today it is a mainstay at Middle Eastern restaurants and a favorite of food truck vendors. Falafel is created from fava beans or chickpeas mixed with spices and deep fried into balls and is often served on flat bread or atop rice, and each country makes its version of this, now an international favorite. International Falafel Day is a grassroots event that has gained popularity online.

Africa

Jun

Family Fitness Day, Ntl.: June 14

06:20 AM | -

Family Health & Fitness Day is celebrated on the second Saturday in June and promotes the importance of parks and recreation in keeping communities healthy. Agencies everywhere are encouraged to participate by inviting families to get active at their local park or recreation center or hosting an event, such as a health fair or family fun run. Healthcare community members are encouraged to participate, as well, even as sponsors.

Africa

Jun

Family History Day: June 14

06:20 AM | -

Family History Day focuses on inter-generational family health and strength. It is a day to learn about your ancestors and develop family history records—brought to you by the people at Wellcat.

Africa

Jun

Family Remittances, Intl. Day of: June 16

06:20 AM | -

The International Day of Family Remittances (IDFR), observed on 16 June, recognizes the contribution of over 200 million migrants to improve the lives of their 800 million family members in their home countries. This globally recognized day brings attention to the significant impact that these financial contributions have on households, communities, countries, and regions. It encourages governments, private sector entities, and civil society to maximize the impact of remittances. The theme for the 2023-24 IDFR campaign highlights the role of digital technologies in enhancing financial inclusion in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It also focuses on reducing the cost of remittances to the target of 3% as outlined in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10.c. The United Nations calls for promoting digital and financial solutions for remittances to foster greater social and economic resilience and inclusion. In 2022, international remittances to LMICs totaled US$626 billion. These funds, typically transferred monthly in amounts between US$200-US$300, support basic household needs and have transformative effects on both households and local communities, enabling many families to achieve their ‘own’ SDGs. However, the cost of transferring funds remains high —averaging 6% for a US$200 transfer in the second quarter of 2022. The adoption of digital technologies in remittance services offers potential for reducing these costs and increasing efficiency, with mobile providers offering the best rates at 3.5%, though less than 1% of transactions are currently made through digital channels.

Africa

Jun

Father's Day, Intl. (1910): June 15

06:20 AM | -

"Every day, fathers across our the world give everything they have to build a better future for their family, asking nothing in return but their children's love. Parenthood is the ultimate gift and an incredible responsibility," stated President Barak Obama in his 2011 Father's Day proclamation. Father's Day honors men's vital roles in their children's lives. Unlike Mother's Day, which occurs on different days throughout the world, Father's Day tends to be universal and observed on this day in a majority of countries. The first Father's Day was held on June 19, 1910, at the Spokane, Washington, YMCA. Sonora Smart Dodd hosted it to honor her father, a single father who raised her and her five siblings.

Africa

Jun

Federal-Aid Interstate Highway Act (1956): June 29

06:20 AM | -

Today is the anniversary of the passage of the Federal-Aid Interstate Highway Act in 1956. The story of how the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 (also known as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act) came about is interesting. In 1919, 28-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower participated in the popular convoy across the Lincoln Highway, the longest road in the country then. The trip was exhausting and took too long for Eisenhower's liking. During World War II, Eisenhower observed the popular German autobahn network and was very impressed by it. These two events spurred him to announce his "Grand Plan" for highways in 1954 once President of the United States, and it became law two years later on June 29, 1956.

Africa