Thursday 22 August Grand Magal of Touba in Senegal
This day sees the largest pilgrimage, or Magal, in the country as hundreds of thousands of followers make their way to the holy city of…
Wednesday 21 August Day of Memory in Czech Republic
The Day of Memory is a new state holiday to be observed on August 21st each year. The full name of this holiday is the…
Tuesday 20 August Revolution Day in Morocco
In 1912 Morocco became a French protectorate under the Treaty of Fez, administered by a French Resident-General. Morocco had traditionally been ruled by a sultan.…
Monday 19 August Independence Day in Afghanistan
Afghanistan is an Islamic state in Central Asia. With its strategic position between India, Persia and the Silk Road, Afghanistan has been a region coveted…
Monday 19 August Independence Day in Afghanistan
Afghanistan is an Islamic state in Central Asia. With its strategic position between India, Persia and the Silk Road, Afghanistan has been a region coveted…
Saturday 17 August Independence Day in Indonesia
Indonesia had been a Dutch colony for over 300 years when a group of revolutionaries declared independence on 17 August 1945. It took Indonesians four…
Friday 16 August St Mary’s Day in Romania
This feast commemorates two events - the departure of Mary from this life and the assumption of her body into heaven. The Church's official doctrine…
Thursday 15 August Independence Day Holiday in Gabon
The first Europeans to visit Gabon were the Portuguese in the late fifteenth century when Diego Cam explored the region. They gave Gabon its name…
Wednesday 14 August Independence Day in Pakistan
Pakistan had been part of the colony of India since the 18th century, firstly as part of the East India Company and then as part…
Tuesday 13 August Carnival Monday in Grenada
Like many countries in the Caribbean, Grenada celebrates a colourful and exuberant carnival. Since 1981, it has taken place on the second Monday and Tuesday…
Monday 12 August Mountain Day in Japan
A revision to the Law on National Holidays was enacted in a parliament session on May 23rd 2014 to be enforced from January 1st 2016. …
Sunday 11 August Father’s Day in Brazil
In Brazil, Father’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in August. The date was chosen in honour of St. Joachim, the father of Mary…
Saturday 10 August Descent of Saint Dominic in Managua
At the end of the 19th century, in the city of Managua, the discovery of a tiny statue of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, led to…
Friday 9 August National Day in Singapore
Today marks Singapore's sovereignty, which was gained on this day in 1965. Singapore declared independence from Britain in August 1963. It joined the Federation of…
Thursday 8 August Thursday in Anguilla
Across most Caribbean islands, cricket is the national sport, with athletics becoming more prominent in recent years. Uniquely Anguilla's national sport is boat racing, easily…
Wednesday 7 August Battle of Boyacá in Colombia
In 1819, Colombia was known as New Grenada and involved in a war for independence from Spain. Bogota was seen as a key strategic location…
Tuesday 6 August Independence Day in Jamaica
Jamaica was one of the first colonies in the so-called new world. Spanish rule began in 1509. Nearly 150 years later, the island was taken…
Monday 5 August Independence Day in Burkina Faso
With its inland location within Western Africa, the region that makes up modern-day Burkina Faso did not attract colonial attention until the late nineteenth century. …
Sunday 4 August Constitution Day in Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing island country in free association with New Zealand. People inhabited the islands about 1,000 years ago, and the first…
Saturday 3 August Pidjiguiti Day in Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau had been under Portuguese control since the 19th century. A movement for national self-determination was gaining ground across Africa in the 1950s and Guinea-Bissau…