French Community Holiday
This holiday is held only in the French Community of Belgium. The date was chosen by them after an important episode in the Belgian Revolution from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. This erupted on the night of 25th August 1830 following a performance of the patriotic opera La Muette de Portici, which caused a riot and the crowd to take possession of government buildings. King William I attempted to restore the establishment order by force, but the royal army under Prince Frederik was unable to retake Brussels in street fighting on 23rd to 26th September. A provisional government was declared in Brussels on 26th September, and during that night the Dutch troops retreated. On 24th June 1975 this date was chosen and first celebrated later that year. All schools are closed for the holiday, with the festival being celebrated with many free concerts featuring francophone acts.
Independence Day of Turkmenistan
This day used to be celebrated exactly a month later on 27th October, but in 2018 the government voted to move the date exactly a month back. 27th October 1991 was when the Supreme Soviet of Turkmenistan decided to adopt the law “About Independence and Bases of a State System of Turkmenistan”, effectively declaring its independence that day. On this day a massive military parade on the central square of Ashgabat follows a ceremony of laying flowers at the Independence Monument. Outstanding citizens and cultural figures are awarded state awards, and festive events and concerts are held as well as fireworks.
World Rivers Day
This day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday in September, and celebreates the world’s waterways. It highlights the many values of our rivers, strives to increase public awareness, and encourages the improved stewardship of all rivers in the world. Rivers in virtually every country face an array of threats, and only through our active involvements can we ensure their health in the years ahead. In 2005 the United Nations launched the Water for Life Decade to help create a greater awareness of the need to better care for our water resources. Following this, World Rivers Day was established, based on the success of BC Rivers Day, which Mark Angelo had founded and led in Western Canada since 1980.
World Tourism Day
This has been celebrated since 1980, when the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) were encouraged to institute World Tourism Day in a meeting that took plce in Spain. The date was chosen to coincide with an important milestones in world tourism, the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the UNWTO Statutes on 27th September 1970. There is a theme each year, this year’s being “Tourism and Rural Development”. It is usually hosted in a country of the UN specialised agency, but this year it is joint hosted by the Mercosur bloc (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, with Chile joining with observer status).
Holidays & Special Events 