Celebrating Cultures across the University of Birmingham
Xīnnián hǎo 新年好 This year, Lunar or Chinese New Year falls on 1 February, although celebrations will typically last 16 days, starting from Chinese New Year’s Eve (31 January) until 15 February . This year is Year of the Tiger. The tiger is known to be king of all beasts in China and comes third … Continue reading “Lunar New Year 1-15 February”
January 29 is National Puzzle Day, the perfect day to do a little brain exercise. Whether it’s a crossword, jigsaw or Sudoku, puzzles engage our brain in more ways than one. Scientists have discovered that when we work on a jigsaw puzzle, we utilize both sides of the brain, improving memory, cognitive function and problem solving … Continue reading “National Puzzle Day 29 January”
Martin Luther King Jr was born on 15 January 1929. An American Baptist Minister, he grew up in the Southern United States under segregation, a policy that required Blacks to use separate facilities to Whites and toattend different schools. King rightly believed that the policy of segregation was unjust and he spoke out openly about … Continue reading “Martin Luther King Jr Day 17 January”
15 January marks the 400th anniversary of the birth of French actor, playwright and poet, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, also known as Molière. Widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language, his works include comedies, farces and tragicomedies, His plays have been translated into every major living language. As a sixth-form student at … Continue reading “Molière 400 in 2022”
8 January 2022 marks what would have been the late great David Bowie’s 75th birthday. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, his work was acclaimed by fellow musicians and critics, particularly his innovative work in the 1970s. He studied art, music and design before embarking on a professional career … Continue reading “David Bowie 75th anniversary”
Steve Biko (1946-1977) was ideologically an African nationalist and social who was at the forefront of a grassroots anti-apartheid campaign known as the Black Consciousness Movement during the late 1960s and 1970s. Studying medicine at the University of Natal, he became increasingly frustrated that National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) and other anti-apartheid groups … Continue reading “75th anniversary of the birth of Steve Biko, South African anti-apartheid activist”
Regarded as one of David Lean’s greatest films, ‘Great Expectations’, starring John Mills (as Pip), Alec Guinness, Bernard Miles, Jean Simmons and others, was released on 26 December 1946. On the BFI’s list of 100 top films (1999), it reached 5th place. It was the first of two films Lean directed based of Dickens’ novels … Continue reading “75th anniversary of David Lean’s ‘Great Expectations’”
Born in Paris on 9 October 1835, Camille Saint-Saëns grew up as an only child in the care of his mother Clémence and his great-aunt Charlotte Masson, as his father, an official in the Ministry of the Interior, had died within a few months of his son’s birth. The boy’s extraordinary gifts as a polymath, … Continue reading “Camille Saint-Saëns centenary (1835–1921)”
Rosa Parks was a civil rights activist who refused to surrender her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. Her defiance sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott; its success launched nationwide efforts to end racial segregation of public facilities. Ohio and Oregon commemorate the occasion on the anniversary of … Continue reading “Rosa Parks Day 1 December”
World AIDS Day takes place on 1 December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness. Founded in 1988, World AIDS Day was the first ever global health … Continue reading “World AIDS Day 1 December”
