Celebrating Cultures across the University of Birmingham
Hanami (flower viewing) is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the transient beauty of flowers; flowers (hana) are in this case almost always referring to those of the cherry (sakura) or, less frequently plum(ume) trees. Cherry trees generally bloom from the end of March to early May. The blossom forecast (桜前線, sakura-zensen) is announced each … Continue reading “Hanami”
Italy’s Liberation Day, also known as the Anniversary of the Liberation, Anniversary of the Resistance or simply 25 April, is a national Italian holiday commemorating the end of Nazi occupation of the country during World War Two and the victory of the Resistance. And for those who might like to practice their Italian: L’anniversario della liberazione d’Italia (anche chiamato festa della Liberazione, anniversario della … Continue reading “25 aprile Festa della Liberazione”
St George’s Day is celebrated on 23 April by various Christian churches and by several nations, kingdoms, countries and cities of which Saint George is the patron saint, including England and regions of Spain and Portugal in particular. From the early 15th century St. George’s Day was a major feast and national holiday in England … Continue reading “23 April St George’s Day”
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (22 April 1870– 21 January 1924), better known as Lenin, was a Russian revolutionary, politician and political theorist who served as head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 1924 and of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1924. Under his administration, Russia and then the wider Soviet Union became a one-party communist … Continue reading “Sesquicentennial anniversary of the birth of Lenin”
William Wordsworth (7 April 1770–23 April 1850) was born in what is now named Wordsworth House in Cockermouth, Cumberland in the Lake District. He was an English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication Lyrical Ballads (1798). Wordsworth’s magnum opus is … Continue reading “Sestercentennial of the birth of William Wordsworth”
Passover 2020 begins at sundown on Wednesday April 8, and ends Thursday evening April 16. The first Passover seder (festive meal) is on the evening of April 8, and the second Passover seder takes place on the evening of April 9. Passover is a festival of freedom that commemorates the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt and their … Continue reading “Passover (Pesach) 8-16 April”
Ravi Shankar KBE (born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury), 7 April 1920 – 11 December 2012), whose name is often preceded by the title Pandit (Master) and ‘Sitar maestro’, was an Indian musician and a composer of Hindustani classical music. He was the best-known proponent of the sitar in the second half of the 20th century and influenced many … Continue reading “Centenary of the birth of Ravi Shankar”
Quincentenary of the death of Raphael (1483-1520) Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (known as Raphael) was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of composition and visual achievement of the Neoplatonic ideal of human grandeur. Despite his early death at 37, he left a … Continue reading “Quincentenary of the death of Raphael”
Nowruz is the Iranian New Year, also known as the Persian New Year, which is celebrated worldwide by various ethno-linguistic groups. Nowruz has Iranian and Zoroastrian origins, however, it has been celebrated by diverse communities for over 3,000 years It remains a holy day for Zoroastrians, Bahais and some Muslim communities. Nowruz is the day of the vernal equinox … Continue reading “20 March Nowruz – Iranian New Year”
In South Africa, Human Rights Day is celebrated on 21 March in remembrance of the Sharpeville massacre which took place on 21 March 1960. This massacre occurred as a result of protests against the Apartheid regime in South Africa. The annual commemoration is a reminder about the sacrifices that accompanied the struggle for the attainment of democracy in … Continue reading “21 March South Africa – Human Rights’ Day”
