HOLIDAYS OF THE WEEK – APRIL 2020

OBSERVANCES AND EVENTS

Here is a list of holidays of the week in April 2020, observances and events worldwide.

At this time when the whole world is fighting with the deadly Covid-19 virus, it is important to keep the family and community alive. One way to go about is by celebrating the events and holidays with your family.

21st April 2020 – Tuesday

National Library Workers Day: A day to recognize the hard work, dedication, and expertise of library support staff and librarians. To celebrate library workers, the American Library Association–Allied Professional Association (ALA–APA) asked patrons to nominate stellar library workers from their libraries.

San Jacinto Day: San Jacinto Day is the celebration of the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. It was the final battle of the Texas Revolution where Texas won its independence from Mexico. It is an official “partial staffing holiday” in the State of Texas.

Tiradentes Day: This national holiday is celebrated annually on 21st April.Tiradentes Day in Brazil commemorates the execution of Brazilian national hero Joaquim Jose da Silva Xavier (16 August, 1746 – 21 April 1792).

Yom Hashoah : Yom Hashoah is a day set aside for Jews to remember the Holocaust. The name comes from the Hebrew word ‘shoah’, which means ‘whirlwind’. Yom Hashoah was established in Israel in 1959 by law. It falls on the 27th of the Jewish month of Nissan, a date chosen because it is the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. Israel’s Knesset (parliament) established Yom Hashoah, also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day, as a memorial to about six million Jewish people who were slaughtered by the Nazis between 1933 and 1945.

22nd April 2020 – Wednesday

Administrative Professionals Day: Administrative Professionals Day (also known as Secretaries Day or Admin Day) is a day observed yearly in a small number of countries. … The day recognizes the work of secretaries, administrative assistants, receptionists, client services representatives, and other administrative support professionals.

International Earth Day: Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection.

Oklahoma Day: Oklahoma Day, which is annually held on April 22, commemorates the date when the “Oklahoma Lands” area, which is now the state of Oklahoma, opened for European settlement. A range of events are organized to celebrate the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma. These include special lessons at schools, exhibitions on the wildlife of the state and concerts. However, Oklahoma Day celebrations are generally low key.

Stephen Lawrence Day: at a memorial service to mark the 25th anniversary of his death, Prime Minister Theresa May announced that “Stephen Lawrence Day” would be an annual national commemoration of his death on 22 April every year starting in 2019.

23rd April 2020 – Thursday

Castile and León Day: is a holiday celebrated on April 23 in the autonomous community of Castile and León, a subdivision of Spain. The date is the anniversary of the Battle of Villalar, in which Castilian rebels called Comuneros were dealt a crushing defeat by the royalist forces of King Charles I in the Revolt of the Comuneros on April 23, 1521.

Day of Aragón:  is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to south): Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza. The current Statute of Autonomy declares Aragon a historic nationality of Spain.

German Beer Day: That’s the day, back in 1516, when the “German Purity Law” was first passed, and it is still in effect today. It’s actually the oldest food law anywhere in the world, and to this day it decrees that German beer can only contain 3 ingredients: water, hops and barley. The law may be simple, but we guarantee that the choice of beers to enjoy on German Beer Day

International Book Day: World Book and Copyright Day, or International Day of the Book, is an annual event organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote reading, publishing, and copyright. World Book Day was first celebrated on 23 April 1995, and continues to be recognized on that day.

National Sovereignty and Children’s Day: is a public holiday  in  Turkey  commemorating  the foundation of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, on 23 April 1920.

Santa Faz: The Fair of Santa Faz is celebrated around the Thursday after the octave of Easter (two Thursday after Holy Thursday), day in which the city and the Horta d’Alacant celebrate the festivity of the relic and commemorate the miracle of La Lágrima that took place in 1489. Two pilgrimages take place in this celebration, the first one departs from Alacant on Thursday and the later on Sunday from Sant Joan d’Alacant. For four days the traditional Fair is held with craft and food stands and attractions in the streets of Llogaret and Sant Joan.

Shakespeare Day: Many fans and enthusiasts of William Shakespeare, who was one of England’s greatest poets and dramatists, celebrate National Shakespeare Day, also known as Shakespeare Day, on April 23 each year. Special pageants are held at Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, where Shakespeare was born and where thousands of tourists go each year to see his plays performed. The bells of Holy Trinity Church ring out and the Mayor of Stratford leads a procession there to lay flowers on Shakespeare’s’ grave. The procession includes bands, civic dignitaries, costumed actors and actresses, Morris dancers, and the staff and pupils of some local schools. In some schools, regular lessons are set aside for students to learn about the great playwright and poet, and his sonnets, narrative poems and plays. Enthusiasts and fans, including the British Shakespeare Company, have campaigned for Parliament in the United Kingdom to officially recognize national Shakespeare Day.

St. George’s Day: Saint George’s Day, also known as the Feast of Saint George, is the feast day of Saint George as celebrated by various Christian Churches and by the several nations, kingdoms, countries, and cities of which Saint George is the patron saint including England, and regions of Portugal and Spain.

Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day: Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day is a national day that gives children in the United States a glimpse into the working world.[1] Developed by the Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Foundation, a 501 non-profit educational organisation, the day revolves around parents taking their children to work to expose students to future job possibilities and the value of education.[2] It is the successor to Take Our Daughters To Work Day, which was expanded to include boys in 2003. In the U.S., it occurs on the fourth Thursday in April and onward every year.

24th April 2020 – Friday

Arbor Day: The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation and education organization founded in 1972 in Nebraska, United States, by John Rosenow. It is the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to tree planting. The Foundation’s stated corporate mission is “to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees.  The Foundation programs are supported by members, donors, and corporate sponsors that share the same vision of a healthier and greener world.

First Day of Ramadan: In most Arab nations, the first day of fasting for the holy month of Ramadan, which is determined by the sighting of the new moon. During Ramadan, Muslims wake up well before dawn to eat the first meal of the day, which has to last until sunset. This means eating lots of high-protein foods and drinking as much water as possible right up until dawn, after which you can’t eat or drink anything. At dawn, we perform the morning prayer.

Loktantra Diwas: Loktantra Diwas 2020, 2021 and 2022 in Nepal. Loktantra Diwas, or “Democracy Day”, is a holiday in Nepal. It occurs every 24 April and commemorates the restoration of Nepal’s representative assembly in 2006 after it was dismissed by the king in 2005.

Ramadan Starts: When Ramadan starts Muslims wake up well before dawn to eat the first meal of the day, which has to last until sunset. This means eating lots of high-protein foods and drinking as much water as possible right up until dawn, after which you can’t eat or drink anything. At dawn, we perform the morning prayer.

Ramazan Bank Holiday: The State Bank of Pakistan will remain closed for public dealing on 1st Ramadan-ul-Mubarak (Tuesday), which will be observed as Bank Holiday for deduction of Zakat, as usual.

25th April 2020 – Saturday

ANZAC Day: Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders “who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations” and “the contribution and suffering of all those who have served”.

Chosun People’s Army Foundation Day: Military Foundation Day, Chosun People’s Army Foundation Day or simply Army day, the day marks the foundation of Kim Il-Sung’s guerrilla army in 1932, considered the predecessor of the Korean People’s Army.

Liberation Day: 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 II and the victory of the Resistance.

Liberty Day: “Liberty Day” is celebrated on 1 November—the day Jackson printed the first addition of the Herald in 1915—in appreciation of his efforts on behalf of the people.

The Feast of St Mark (Venice): The Feast of St Mark (La Festa di San Marco) is an annual local public holiday in Venice, Italy, on April 25. It honors St Mark, the city’s patron saint, and coincides with Liberation Day.

26th April 2020 – Sunday

Birthday of the Sultan of Terengganu: Al-Wathiqu Billah Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin ibni Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah is the 18th and current Sultan of Terengganu. He served as the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the constitutional monarch of Malaysia, from 2006 to 2011. He is Malay by ethnicity and an adherent of Sunni Islam.

Confederate Heroes’ Day observed: Confederate Memorial Day (called Confederate Heroes Day in Texas and Florida, and Confederate Decoration Day in Tennessee) is a cultural holiday observed in several Southern U.S. states on various dates since the end of the Civil War to remember the estimated 258,000 Confederate soldiers who have died in military service.

27th April 2020 – Monday

ANZAC Day: Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders “who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations” and “the contribution and suffering of all those who have served”.

King’s Birthday: Martin Luther King Jr. Day is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year. King’s birthday is January 15. The holiday is similar to holidays set under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.

South Africa Freedom Day: Freedom Day is a public holiday in South Africa celebrated on 27 April. It celebrates freedom and commemorates the first post-apartheid elections held on that day in 1994.

28th April 2020 – Tuesday

Our Lady of Mércoles: This is a public holiday in the listed municipalities. Some smaller towns may also celebrate this day as their municipal holiday. Our Lady of Mércoles Observances.

San Prudencio: San Prudencio was a Spanish anchorite and cleric who was bishop over Tarazona. He has been the patron saint of Nájera and Álava since the mid-17th century. His festival is on 28 April.

Yom HaZikaron: Yom HaZikaron, in full Yom HaZikaron LeHalalei Ma’arakhot Yisrael ul’Nifge’ei Pe’ulot HaEivah, is Israel’s official remembrance day, enacted into law in 1963. While Yom HaZikaron has been traditionally dedicated to fallen soldiers, commemoration has also been extended to civilian victims of terrorism.

29th April 2020 – Wednesday

International Dance Day: International Dance Day is a global celebration of dance, created by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute, the main partner for the performing arts of UNESCO. The event takes place every year on 29 April, which is the anniversary of the birth of Jean-Georges Noverre, the creator of modern ballet.

Shōwa Day: Shōwa Day is a Japanese annual holiday held on April 29. It honors the birthday of Emperor Shōwa, the reigning emperor from 1926 to 1989. Shō means “shining” or “bright”, and wa means “peace”, signifying the “enlightened peace” that citizens receive.

Yom HaAtzmaut: Independence Day is the national day of Israel, commemorating the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948. The day is marked by official and unofficial ceremonies and observances

Yom Ha’atzmaut: Many Jewish Americans in the United States remember Israel’s Independence Day, also known as Yom Ha’Atzmaut (or Yom HaAtzmaut). Celebrations are annually held on or around the fifth day of the month of Iyar, according to the Jewish calendar.

30th April 2020 – Thursday

Buddha’s Birthday: The Buddha was a philosopher, mendicant, meditator, spiritual teacher, and religious leader who lived in ancient India. He is revered as the founder of the world religion of Buddhism. He taught for around 45 years and built a large following, both monastic and lay.

Children’s Day – Mexico: Children’s Day is a commemorative date celebrated annually in honor of children, whose actual day varies by country. In 1925, International Children’s Day was first proclaimed in Geneva during the World Conference on Child Welfare; since then, it is celebrated on June 1 in most countries.

Liberation Day/Reunification Day: Reunification Day (Vietnamese: Ngày Thống nhất), Victory Day (Ngày Chiến thắng) or Liberation Day (Ngày Giải phóng or Ngày Giải phóng miền Nam) or the official name of Day of Southern Liberation for National Reunification  is a public holiday in Vietnam that marks the event when North Vietnamese and Việt Cộng forces captured Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) on April 30, 1975. This signalled the end of the Vietnam War, known in Vietnamese as Kháng chiến chống Mỹ cứu nước (“Anti-American Resistance War for National Salvation”) or Chiến tranh Việt Nam (Vietnam War). It was the start of the transition period toward reunification, which occurred in the national election for national reunification on July 2, 1976, when the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Rep.

Walpurgis Night: Walpurgis Night, an abbreviation of Saint Walpurgis Night, also known as Saint Walpurga’s Eve, is the eve of the Christian feast day of Saint Walpurga, an 8th-century abbess in Francia, and is celebrated on the night of 30 April and the day of 1 May.

Saturday, 11th April 2020

Philippines has a Black Saturday. Many countries around the globe celebrate this day as the Holy Saturday. It is the the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

The Black Saturday is the busiest day of the year when many people go on holiday.

Also Israel has a Passover day. In the Passover (Day 3) it is customary to recite the “Order of the Passover Offering” after the afternoon Minchah prayer.

On Sunday, 12th April 2020, it is Easter celebrated all over the world. So it’s ‘HAPPY EASTER.’ It is also the Passover (day 4) celebrated in Israel.

On Monday, 13th April 2020, it is Baisakhi/Vaisakhi which is a harvest festival mainly celebrated in India and Pakistan. It is also Easter Monday observed in many places worldwide.

South Africa celebrates it as a Family Day. Family Day follows on the Monday after Good Friday making it a Long Weekend known as “Easter Weekend”.

This day is supposed to reflect the values of family and to give workers the opportunity to spend more time with their families. Holidays to celebrate families are also held in other places around the globe.

Thomas Jefferson’s birthday is celebrated in United States.

FYI, Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father.

He served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. Thomas Jefferson previously served as the second vice president of the United States from 1797 to 1801.

On Tuesday, 14th April 2020, we celebrate Ambedkar Jayanti in India. Ambedkar Jayanti or Bhim Jayanti is an annual festival observed on 14 April to commemorate the memory of B. R. Ambedkar.

It marks Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s birthday. He was born on 14 April 1891. Since 2015 it has been observed as an official public holiday throughout India. It is celebrated not just in India but all around the world.

Día del Bando de la Huerta celebrated mainly in Spain comes on the first Tuesday after Easter. It coincides with the most important day of the Spring Fiestas.

It consists of a parade of oxen-drawn carriages and booths from which the participants, known as “huertanos”, and it means throw food at the spectators.

After the floral offering to the Virgen de la Fuensanta, the parade begins through the streets of the city. It is accompanied by local folk groups and associations.

This is also a Nepali New Year day well celebrated in Nepal.

It is Passover (day 6) in Israel. Sermon of the Tortillas is celebrated in Spain.

Southland Anniversary Day is celebrated in New Zealand. Southland Region is the most southerly of all New Zealand’s regions. It is a public holiday and off-work day that comes on the Tuesday after Easter.

The date was chosen to approximate the 1 April date in 1861 when the Province of Southland was formally separated from the Province of Otago.

On Wednesday, 15th April 2020, in North Korea this day is celebrated as Birth Date of Kim II Sung. Kim II-sung was born on 15 April 1912 in the village of Mangyongdae. This village is now a suburb of North Korea’s capital Pyongyang.

Kim Il-sung’s birthday is a public holiday in North Korea called the “Day of the Sun”.

Malaysia celebrates Declaration of Malacca as Historical City. In 2008, the historic town of Malacca was listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.

The declaration recognised the 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges between the East and West in the Straits of Malacca.

Father Damien Day as Father Damien was canonized on 11 October 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI. His feast day is celebrated on 10 May. In Hawaii it is celebrated on the day of his death, 15 April.

Two miracles have been attributed to Father Damien’s posthumous intercession.

Matsu’s Birthday Celebration is one of the very interesting cultural and religious events in this part of Taiwan. It happens every year during the time of the Cheng Long Wetlands International Environmental Art Project.

Matsu is the goddess of the sea and protector of fishermen. So she is an important religious god in Taiwan and particularly in southwestern Taiwan where Cheng Long village is located.

This day is the National Assembly Election Day in South Korea.

Passover (Day 7) observed in Israel.

Songkran is the Thai New Year’s national holiday. Songkran is on the 13 April every year, but the holiday period extends from 14 to 15 April.

In 2018 the Thai cabinet extended the festival nationwide to five days, 12–16 April, to enable citizens to travel home for the holiday.

On Thursday, 16th April 2020, Emancipation Day is a holiday in Washington DC to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Compensated Emancipation Act.

It was signed by president Abraham Lincoln on April 16, 1862. It is annually held on April 16.

In Puerto Rico José de Diego’s Birthday is celebrated on this day. José de Diego (April 16, 1866 – July 16, 1918), was a statesman, journalist, poet, and a lawyer.

He was an advocate for Puerto Rico’s independence from Spain and from the United States.

He was referred to by his peers as “The Father of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement”

This day Last day of Passover is also celebrated.

On Friday, 17th April 2020, Orthodox Good Friday is celebrated in many parts of the world.

Orthodox Christian churches in the United States generally observe Good Friday at a later date than the Good Friday date observed by many western churches.

Saturday, 18th April 2020 is the International Heritage Day which is the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is also known as World Heritage Day.

It is an international observance held on 18 April each year around the world with different types of activities.

It includes visits to monuments and heritage sites, conferences, round tables and newspaper articles.

Holy Saturday, the Saturday of Holy Week is also known as Holy and Great Saturday.

It is also called the Great Sabbath, Black Saturday, Joyous Saturday, Hallelujah Saturday, Glorious Saturday or Easter Eve, and called “Joyous Saturday” or “the Saturday of Light” among Coptic Christians.

It is the day after Good Friday.

On Sunday, 19th April 2020, Orthodox Easter Sunday is celebrated.

On Monday, 20th April 2020, Day of Saint Vicente Ferrer is celebrated in Spain.

Saint Vincent Ferrer, O.P. was a Valencian Dominican friar and a preacher. He gained acclaim as a missionary and a logician.

He is honored as a saint of the Catholic Church and other churches of Catholic traditions.

Orthodox Easter falls on this day. The Easter eggs are often dyed red but can also be lavishly decorated.

Patriots’ Day is a state holiday in Maine and Massachusetts on the third Monday in April. It is a public school observance day in Wisconsin.

Its celebration is also encouraged in Florida. in Florida, it is not given any holiday status.

Ridván is celebrated in Pakistan, mostly a 12-day festival.

The Sechseläuten is a traditional spring holiday in the Swiss city of Zürich celebrated in its current form. It is celebrated usually on the third Monday of April, since the early 20th century.

Saint George’s Day is also known as the Feast of Saint George.

It is the feast day of Saint George as celebrated by various Christian Churches and by the several nations, kingdoms, countries, and cities. In these places Saint George is the patron saint including England, and regions of Portugal and Spain.

Holidays of the week April 2020

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