For over 150 years the Red Cross has been a world leader in providing humanitarian aid in times of disaster and conflict. Learn more about the Canadian Red Cross and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement:
Red Cross Day
Poetry Slam!
The Second Annual Poetry Slam took place today at the School Library and it was another massive success. Hundreds of LTS Students and Staff crowded in around the stage to hear some incredible Spoken Work performances.
Stay posted for more details!
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day (actually celebrated on September 16). In fact, in Mexico itself Cinco de Mayo is a minor holiday outside of the state of Puebla. However, this holiday is observed in a big way in the United States, particularly in states with high Mexican-American populations, such as California, Arizona and Texas. More and more Canadians are celebrating Cinco de Mayo as well, including those with Mexican roots and those without. Just as you don’t have to have Irish heritage to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, you don’t have to have Mexican heritage to join in on the fun of Cinco de Mayo!
World Press Freedom Day
Every year, 3 May is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.
The international day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the 26th Session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 1991. This in turn was a response to a call by African journalists who in 1991 produced the landmark Windhoek Declaration on media pluralism and independence. (unesco)
For more information:
Harper Lee
The author of To Kill a Mockingbird was born on this day in 1926. When her novel, a seminal work examining racism in the US, was denounced by one school board as “immoral,” she responded by saying, “what I’ve heard makes me wonder if any of its members can read.”
Holocaust Memorial Day
![By joe goldberg from Seattle, WA, USA (Half Mast) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Yom_HaShoah_Flags_halfmast.jpg)
More than 6 million Jews perished in the Holocaust.
For more information:
Earth Day
Today is Earth Day, a day to celebrate our planet and to raise awareness about the need to protect it for our future and for future generations.
For more on Earth Day in Canada, check out earthday.ca
Jackie Robinson Day
On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson played his first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers. In doing so, he became the first African-American to play in the major leagues of baseball, breaking the racist colour barriers that shamefully tarnish the history of the great game of baseball. Jackie Robinson was a wonderfully talented player who earned the praise of fans for his play on the field. He also earned praise for his courage and determination in the face of a racist society that continued to resist the equal participation of non-whites in the game and in the everyday life of the nation. Robinson faced racial taunting and violence on the field, and untold indignities and threats away from the ballpark. Thankfully his determination led the way for more black players to follow and helped our society move along the long slow path towards changing attitudes, promoting acceptance and tolerance, and the goal of eliminating racism. Today in all MLB parks, players will wear #42 in honour of Jackie Robinson.
Vimy Ridge
April 9 is Vimy Ridge Day in Canada. Parliament established this day as an opportunity to remember and honour the men who fought in this historic battle, especially those men who lost their lives. The Battle of Vimy Ridge is considered by many historians to be a key moment in the history of Canada, particularly Canada’s development as an independent nation.
To learn more about Vimy Ridge, check out the following:
World Health Day
From the World Health Organization:
New data on the harm caused by foodborne illnesses underscore the global threats posed by unsafe foods, and the need for coordinated, cross-border action across the entire food supply chain, according to WHO, which next week is dedicating its annual World Health Day to the issue of food safety.
World Health Day will be celebrated on 7 April, with WHO highlighting the challenges and opportunities associated with food safety under the slogan “From farm to plate, make food safe.”
“Food production has been industrialized and its trade and distribution have been globalized,” says WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan. “These changes introduce multiple new opportunities for food to become contaminated with harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, or chemicals.”
Read more about World Health Day
Easter Sunday
The mourning of Good Friday turns to joy and praise on Sunday as Christians celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. Having died on the cross, Christ was buried in a tomb. But Christians believe that he rose again, having conquered death.
Passover
From sundown on April 3 until sundown on April 11, Jews in Canada and around the world will celebrate Passover, or “Pesach”, one of the most important parts oft the Hebrew Calendar. Passover is a celebration of freedom, as Jews remember God’s delivery of the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt.
Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary School Library 