0

Diwali 14 November

  Diwali is the five-day festival of lights, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world. The festival, which coincides with the Hindu New Year, celebrates new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness which is why Diwali is also known as the festival of lights. People … Continue reading “Diwali 14 November”

13 November 2020 by
0

At the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month

Remembrance Day The British grave of the Unknown Warrior (often known as ‘The Tomb of The Unknown Warrior’) holds an unidentified British soldier killed on a European battlefield during the First World War. He was buried in Westminster Abbey on 11 November 1920, simultaneously with a similar interment of a French unknown soldier at the … Continue reading “At the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month”

11 November 2020 by
0

Intersex Day of Remembrance

Intersex Day of Remembrance (8 November), also known as Intersex Solidarity Day, is an internationally observed civil awareness day designed to highlight issues faced by intersex people. It marks the birthday of Herculine Barbin, a French intersex person whose memoirs were later published by Michel Foucault in Herculine Barbin: Being the Recently Discovered Memoirs of … Continue reading “Intersex Day of Remembrance”

8 November 2020 by
0

Rupert Bear centenary

8 November marks 100 year since Rupert Bear made his debut in the ‘Daily Express’  newspaper. Rupert is a children’s comic strip character created by British artist Mary Tourtel. In 1935 the stories were taken over by Alfred Bestall who worked on the Rupert stories and artwork into his 90s. A Rupert Annual has been … Continue reading “Rupert Bear centenary”

8 November 2020 by
0

The Rubik’s cube is 40!

The Rubik’s cube was invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik. He initially created a cuboid model with moving blocks to test how structures with integrated parts can move independently without falling apart. He only realised that his contraption could be used as a puzzle when he attempted to reassemble … Continue reading “The Rubik’s cube is 40!”

7 November 2020 by
0

El día de Muertos

El día de  Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday celebrated in Mexico and elsewhere associated to the Catholic celebrations of All Saints’ Day (1 November) and All Souls’ Day (2 November). It is both a remembrance and celebration for the dearly departed. The day involves family and friends gathering to pray for and remember friends … Continue reading “El día de Muertos”

1 November 2020 by
0

75th anniversary of the first commercially successful ballpoint pen going on sale in the USA

In 1931 Lázló Biró, a Hungarian-Argentinian newspaper editor frustrated by the amount of time wasted filling up fountain pens and cleaning up smudged pages, noticed that the ink used in newspaper printing dried quickly, leaving the paper dry and smudge-free. He tried using the same ink in a fountain pen but found that it would … Continue reading “75th anniversary of the first commercially successful ballpoint pen going on sale in the USA”

29 October 2020 by
0

Mawlid – Prophet Muhammad’s birthday 28-29 October

Prophet Muhammad’s birthday from the evening of 28 to the evening of 29 October Mawlid or Mawlid al-Nabi al-Sharif is the observance of the birthday of Islamic prophet Muhammad commemorated in the third month of the Islamic calendar and is considered to be an auspicious day amongst Muslims. The history of this celebration goes back to the early … Continue reading “Mawlid – Prophet Muhammad’s birthday 28-29 October”

28 October 2020 by
0

Black History Month

October is Black History Month and the University is celebrating the culture and histories of black communities with a comprehensive programme of events. The theme for this year is ‘The Aftermath’. For details of upcoming events, including a quiz, virtual yoga and meditation session and a bookclub, please visit https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/events/black-history-month/index.aspx Also take a look at … Continue reading “Black History Month”

21 October 2020 by