Grito de Dolores
This day is Mexican’s Independence Day when Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Catholic priest known as Father Hidalgo, made the first cry for independence for the country from Spain. He made a speech in Dolores, and took up the banner of the Virgin of Guadalupe, a Roman Catholic image of the Virgin Mary as she appears to Juan Diego, an indigenous Mexican believer who was later sainted by the church. His speech started an uprising again New Spain, starting the Mexican War of Independence which finished in 1821.
Papua New Guinea Independence day
This is a national day that commemorates the country’s independence from Australia in 1975. The Portuguese and Spanish explored the island in the first half of the 16th century, but didn’t establish any colonies, just giving the island its name. In 1884 the British established the protectorate of British New Guinea over the south-eastern part of New Guinea, while Germany annexed the north-eastern part of the island. In 1906 control of the British side was transferred to the newly independent Commonwealth of Australia and renamed Territory of Papua. At the onset of World War One, Australian troops occupied German New Guinea. Following the German’s defeat, the League of Nations granted Australia a mandate to run German New Guinea, albeit separately from the Territory of Papua. The two territories only joined together as the Territory of Papua and New Guinea in July 1949 as the whole of New Guinea had been occupied by the Japanese during World War Two. It then gained full independence in 1975, but it remained part of the Commonwealth.
Malaysia Day
This is a public holiday that commemorates the establishment of the Malaysian federation in 1963. This saw the union of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore into a single state, although Singapore was expelled less than two years later. The planned date was the 1st June, but then moved to 31st August to coincide with the sixth Hari Merdeka. Several issues relating to the objections of neighbouring Indonesia and the Philippines delayed the declaration to the 16th.
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
This day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer on 19th December 2000, in commemoration of the date in 1987 on which nations signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The closure of the hole in the Ozone layer was observed 30 yeas after the protocol was signed. The slogan this year is “Ozone for Life” which encourages people at this difficult time to keep thinking about the Ozone Layer and to protect it for future generations.
Holidays & Special Events 