English Language Day By Sharon Schweitzer The English Project launched the world’s first-ever English Language Day on October 13th in 2009. English Language Day is celebrated to commemorate October 13th, 1362, when Parliament was opened for the first time by a speech in English, instead of French. In the same Parliament, a Statute [...]
South Korea Hangul Day By Sharon Schweitzer South Korea Hangul Day, also known as Korean Alphabet Day, is observed annually on October 9th. It’s a national holiday to commemorate the invention and proclamation of the Korean alphabet, known as Hangul (or Hangeul). It’s also celebrated in North Korea on January 15th as ‘Chosun-gul’ [...]
National German-American Day By Sharon Schweitzer and Polina Anastassieva This German-U.S. American heritage holiday commemorates the thirteen German-Mennonite families from Krefeld who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, On October 6th, 1683, these families established the first German settlement in the original thirteen colonies. They named it Germantown. It was during these early years of [...]
World Sake Day By Sharon Schweitzer World Sake Day, or Nihonshu no Hi, started in 1978 when Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (J.S.S.) designated October 1st as a day of sake celebration. The day is also to salute the people involved in sake production — the rice farmers and brewery workers. The [...]
World Tourism Day By Sharon Schweitzer Tourism has been a part of the human experience as long as there have been distant places to go and experience. It was originally the province of the wealthy, with travel being difficult and expensive, but it afforded opportunities to learn new languages, experience different cuisines, and [...]
European Day of Languages By Sharon Schweitzer In 1997, the idea of organizing a campaign to convince the general public of the importance of learning more languages was born. This idea arose at the conference on Language learning for a new Europe, which launched the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (C.E.F.R.) [...]
Anthony Bourdain Day By Sharon Schweitzer “Southeast Asia has a real grip on me. From the very first time I went there, it was a fulfillment of my childhood fantasies of the way travel should be.” -Anthony Bourdain Anthony Bourdain-chef and writer, traveled the world with humility, humanity, curiosity, humor, and with [...]
5 Tips for Sustainable Travel By Sharon Schweitzer The Global Sustainable Tourism Council and the United Nations emphasize numerous criteria for responsible travel. Many travelers have inquired about the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Criteria. The GSTC provides a set of minimum requirements that a tourism business or destination must aspire to for approval: environmentally friendly [...]
Graduation Gift Giving By Sharon Schweitzer May and June are the months of college, high school, nursing, trade school and university commencements. A time filled with exams, finals, papers, and bells ringing freedom. Graduation parties and open houses are common as students celebrate meeting their goals, after years of challenging work, and begin [...]
Intercultural Etiquette Holiday Guide By Sharon Schweitzer While any time is a good time to show your appreciation for someone who regularly makes your life easier and more enjoyable, the holidays traditionally are the time to express your gratitude in the form of cash or a gift. By no means is holiday tipping [...]