Good
morning everyone!
So I know that this article ought to have been up yesterday
to get it more symbolic. However, my Dad 's has been working on the desktop
non-stop for three days and it's only now that I've been able to literally
'snatch' it from him.
Without further due, let me introduce you to the day you
lived yesterday! The 21st of June!
Well,
to those who are not much delved into dates, events and occurrences, June 21
turns out to you as the mere 172nd day of the year!(173rd in leap years) as in
the Gregorian calendar. A quick
subtraction, yes, there are 193 days remaining until the end of the year.
Rest assured we still have a few more days before we reach
the exact middle of 2015!
Nevertheless, come, let us find out what are the 'things'
that hype June 21 so much! :)
1. World International Music Day
Obviously, as Mauritians, as Mauritian Students rather June
21 is instinctively synonymous to 'Music Day'. Yes, it is a day of free
events to celebrate the universal language of music!
Although this day is not fully celebrated as it should in
Mauritius, in pomp and festivities in the streets or at the beach with people
of all age, religion and gender mingling, it remains successfully anchored in
the Mauritian school tradition to celebrate it.
 |
| The event is also known as Fête de la Musique (or World Music Day) and originated in France in 1982. Since then the idea has spread across the globe with each event holding to the same simple set of principles: that the day is held on the mid-summer solstice and that all concerts and events are free and accessible to the public. |
2. Summer/Winter Solstice
Wait
whut?! Soltice whut? Yes, you read it right. That day, the 'solstice' thing is
actually a true and actual thing. Vampire Diaries fans, wake up! Just because
you live in the southern hemisphere and have no inkling of an idea of what it
actually signifies does not mean it doesn't exist!
But
oops! To be honest, this day usually marks
the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and
the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, which is
the day of the year with the most hours of daylight in the Northern Hemisphere
and the fewest hours of daylight in the Southern Hemisphere.
Yup, there is actually such a thing to which we as Mauritians
pay very little importance to. Yet, it is a real astronomical fact! June
Solstice in Port Louis, Mauritius was on
Sunday, June 21, 2015 at 8:39 PM .
Although the June solstice marks the first day of
astronomical summer,(winter for us southerners) , it's more common to use
meteorological definitions of seasons, making the solstice midsummer or
midwinter.
Over
the centuries, the June solstice has inspired countless festivals,
midsummer celebrations and religious holidays.
One
of the world's oldest evidence of the Summer Solstice's importance in culture
is Stonehenge in England, a megalithic structure which clearly marks the moment
of the June Solstice.
 |
Thousands of people have gathered at Stonehenge to mark this year's summer solstice.
3. Father's Day (2015)
And since we know how much of great Facebookers we are, you
must have noticed how Father's Day's posts were rampant on social media, right?
Father's Day in the United States is on the third Sunday of
June. It celebrates the contribution that fathers and father figures make for
their children's lives.
And this year, it just happened to be yesterday that is the
21st of June. This traditionally applies to countries like Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Uganda, United
Arab Emirates and United States.
4. International World Yoga Day
This is a newly added feature to June 21 by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 2014.
In suggesting June 21, which is the Summer
Solstice, as the International Day
of Yoga, Narendra Modi had
said that the date is the longest day of the year in the Northern
Hemisphere and has special
significance in many parts of the world.
From the perspective of yoga, the Summer Solstice marks the
transition to Dakshinayana. The first full moon after Summer Solstice is
known as Guru Poornima. According to Sadhguru, Lord Shiva, the first yoga
practitioner (Adi Yogi) is said to have begun imparting the knowledge of yoga
to the rest of mankind on this day and became the first guru (Adi Guru). Dakshinayana
is also considered a time when there is natural support for those pursuing
spiritual practices.
The declaration of this day came after the call for the adoption
of 21 June as International Day of Yoga by Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi during his address to UN General Assembly on September 27,
2014 wherein he stated:
"Yoga is an invaluable gift of India's ancient tradition.
This tradition is 5000 years old. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought
and action; restraint and fulfilment; harmony between man and nature; a
holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to
discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature. By
changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us deal with
climate change. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day."
—Narendra Modi, UN
General Assembly
 |
NEW DELHI (AP) — Millions of yoga enthusiasts across the world bent and twisted their bodies in complex postures Sunday to mark the first International Yoga Day.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spread his mat among rows of people, including his Cabinet members and foreign diplomats, at New Delhi's main thoroughfare, which was transformed into a sprawling exercise ground.
|
5. World Humanist Day
Haha! This one I bet you had no idea about! It indeed is one unfortunately extremely little mediated event.
World Humanist Day is a Humanist holiday celebrated annually around the
world on the June solstice, which usually
falls on June 21st. According to the International Humanist and
Ethical Union (IHEU), the day is a way of
spreading awareness of Humanism as
a philosophical life stance and
means to effect change in the world. It is also seen as a time for Humanists
to gather socially and promote the positive values of Humanism.
The manner in which World Humanist Day is
celebrated varies considerably among local Humanist groups, reflecting the
individuality and non-dogmatism of Humanism as a whole. Whilst the event might
be a simple gathering, such as a dinner or picnic, with ample time for both
socialising and reflection, the method of celebration is down to the individual
Humanists. Some groups actually develop intricate social rituals, music, and
proceedings which highlight the metaphoric symbolism of the solstice and the
light (knowledge) which brings us out of darkness (ignorance).
World Humanist Day has not yet become a fully
celebrated holiday in all Humanist organizations, although many of them are
beginning to recognize it and plan events and activities around the holiday.
6. International Surfing Day
Again, another unmediated event:
International Surfing Day, held annually on or near the date of the summer solstice,
is an unofficial, environmentally conscious sports-centered holiday that
celebrates the sport of surfing and the surfing lifestyle, and
the sustainability of ocean resources. Contests and prizes are also
part of the celebration, with surfing-related industries donating prizes such
as surfboards and wetsuits. Another purpose of the celebration is to
promote the popularity of surfing and to attract new participants.
7. Celebrity Birthday
Finally, to up ‘21st of June’ further let's have a glance of
who's birthday is celebrated on this all charged day! Any guesses?
It's the eldest son of Prince Charles and Princess
Diana who is second in line, after his father, to become the head of the
53-member Commonwealth of Nations and the constitutional monarch of 16
sovereign states. Prince William. Yes, he turned 33 this
June 21.
_______________________________
Thus, this was pretty much my basket of the Wows of the day I lived yesterday as a global citizen. This article is a special shout out to one of my friend's mom, Lyam's mom who I found out reads our articles. It's a real pleasure Ma'am, keep the love coming. God Bless! :))
This one's for NIk also, just in case he happens to be reading! He deserted me guys, hopefully he'll be back! :)) He will, I trust him more than I trust our bonding. And there's no way I'm keeping this blog's interface he if he never comes back. I owe him too much.
In any case, if you feel I have left out anything or if there's anything in particular that you hold to your heart about the 21st of June, do not forget to drop a word in the comment section below.
If you learnt anything new, just give this one a little thumbs up for more such 'Knowledge is Power' articles. It doesn't cost much and I love you people!
Until next time,
Much Love,
Iam Aehr.