Category: Holidays & Observances

International Day of Peace

source: un.org

The International Day of Peace, established by the United Nations in 1981, is observed every September 21.  According to un.org:

“This year, it has been clearer than ever that we are not each other’s enemies. Rather, our common enemy is a tireless virus that threatens our health, security and very way of life. COVID-19 has thrown our world into turmoil and forcibly reminded us that what happens in one part of the planet can impact people everywhere.”

 Find out more about the International Day of Peace here.

Rosh Hashanah

source: time.com

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year feast and celebration.

The Jewish Calendar is a lunar calendar, therefor the dates of Rosh Hashanah and other Jewish holidays will vary according to the Gregorian Calendar (the standard calendar used in most of the world for politics, business and daily life.)  In 2020 Rosh Hashanah begins at Sundown on September 18 and ends at nightfall of September 20.

 

Juneteenth

Also known by such names as Freedom Day and Jubilee Day, Juneteenth is a celebration of the end of slavery in the former Confederacy after the end of the American Civil War.

source: amny.com

Juneteenth has grown to be a day that is observed in the US and around the world, as it symbolizes not only the fight against the evil that is slavery, but also the fight against racism in all its forms. In light of current events, this Juneteenth in 2020 is especially significant

Find out more about Juneteenth:

source: mosaictemplars.com

World Press Freedom Day

May 3rd is World Press Freedom Day, as established by UNESCO / United Nations. The freedom of the press is essential to the establishment and health of democracy.  In our world of social media, misinformation, disinformation, fake news and conspiracy theories, we need a free, independent, professional and ethical press more than ever.

As the [COVID-19] pandemic spreads, it has also given rise to a second pandemic of misinformation, from harmful health advice to wild conspiracy theories. The press provides the antidote: verified, scientific, fact-based news and analysis.

Source: UN Secretary-General António Guterres

Find out more:

Earth Day

April 22, 2020 marks the 50th celebration of Earth Day.

source: CC/Wikimedia/TheOriginalSoni

Although it is pretty insignificant in relation to the entire universe, less than a grain of sand in the ocean of space, the Earth is pretty important to us– it is the only home we have.  All human beings should celebrate the Earth, and protect it.

Find out more:

International Women’s Day: Books

Check out our display of books for International Women’s Day, including titles relating to Feminism; justice,equality and freedom for women; the status of women and girls in Canada and around the world.

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International Women’s Day 2020

Happy International Women’s Day 2020!

 

Find out more:

International Women’s Day is March 8.  Celebrate today and this month in the school library. Check out our display of books and other materials related to women, feminism, and the ongoing struggle for the equality, rights and freedoms of women in Canada, and around the World.

 

Black History Month at Curio.ca

In celebration of Black History Month, the CBC’s Curio.ca has put together a collection of video, audio and teacher resource guides. Students and teachers in Surrey Schools, and others with Curio.ca subscriptions, can access this collection for free! Find out more: Curio.ca

Here is an example of some of the content available to you:

 

Black Lives Matter: The Disruptors – The Fifth Estate (CBC)

The Origins of Black History Month in Canada and the United States

Find out more about the origins of Black History Month:

 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57035672
By Ernie Pryor / Kkhemet – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,

 

Freedom to Read Week

February 23 to 29 is Freedom to Read Week in Canada.  Come down to the School Library to find out more.  We have a display of books and other resources related to our freedom to read, our right to have access to information, and our responsibility to exercise those rights and freedoms as informed, free-thinking citizens.  We will will also feature online resources, so be sure to check out our site, tweedsmuirlibrary.wordpress.com.

Freedom to Read Week 2020