Mother's Day Belarus

On 8 March, Belarusians celebrate International Women’s Day. In the tradition of the Soviet Union, there is no special day for lovers such as Valentine’s Day, but men and women have separate holidays. This is the time to look at the relations between men and women in Belarus. Although both are equal in front of the law, in reality, women are not as equal as men.

23 February is Men’s Day, the Day of the Defenders of the Motherland, as it is called. This day is celebrated in the honour of the first victory of the Soviet Army near Pskow in 1918. Nowadays, 23 February is a day when all men feel like war heroes who defend their country and their families.
On their special day, men get shaving creme and socks as a gift from their wives, sisters and mothers. Women prepare cakes and food.  On the day before 23 February, the department stores look like they are for women-only. The department for men’s socks and toiletries are crowded with women buying presents for their beloved ones.

In return, women have their special day on 8 March, International Women’s Day. Here again, they prepare food, and their sons, husbands and brothers give them flowers, chocolate and household devices as presents. bad credit loans

Gender holidays as remnant of the Soviet past


Traditionally, these gender holidays are celebrated at work. Women prepare a party for their male colleagues, and men make up poems praising their female co-workers. Some companies have real competitions on which gender prepares the best party.
However, the gender holidays seem to be more and more a remnant of the Soviet past. According to opinion surveys, for the young generation of Belarusians, 8 March is just a day off (this is an example of positive discrimination: Women’s Day is a day off while 23 February is not). Only history students know that 8 March became the International Women’s Day to commemorate the role of women during the 1917 Russian revolution.
Some people in Belarus also prefer to celebrate the day of Belarusian Military Glory on 8 September instead of 23 February. This day refers to the victory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania’s troops over the army of the Moscow principality in the battle on 8 September 1514 near the town of Orsha. This victory prevented Muscovite forces from occupying the territory of Belarus. Celebrating this holiday regularly leads to a deterioration in Russia-Belarus relations.

Women's rights in Belarus
No matter whether you celebrate Women’s day or not, it is still a day to have a look at the situation of gender equality in Belarus. Article 22 of the Belarusian Constitution states that all citizen are equal before the law. Belarus signed the optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. However, there is no separate law on gender equality in the country, and there are no quotas established for women’s participation in elections, employment, etc. in the legislation.
Belarusian law protects the physical integrity of women to a relatively high degree. However, violence against women, in particular sexual violence such as rape, sexually motivated murder, sexual harassment and trafficking in women, remains a significant problem. According to a survey conducted in 2004 by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), one-third of Belarusian women have suffered domestic violence.

Even if Belarusian women are not beaten by their husbands, life is still hard for them, as Belarus is a country with a traditional paternalistic scheme of male and female roles. While most women work full-time, they also bear the basic load of housework. After their working days, the come home and cook, clean the flat and do the laundry.

Belarusian women, as every foreigner who has been invited to a Belarusian family knows, are exceptional: they always have several dishes readily prepared, even if they do not expect any visitors. If they have guests, or a holiday, the hospitality is legendary, and they will not stop cooking until the table is fully loaded with food. At the same time, Belarusian women manage to take care of themselves and are reportedly good-looking.

Importance of paternal role in raising children is underestimated


It is part of the traditional role-understanding that women stay at home looking after the children. Despite the Belarusian law providing for “parental leave” three years after the birth of a child, in 2010 only 2,000 fathers used it. According to the United Nations Population Fund, Belarusians underestimate in society the importance of paternity, a fact that led to a decrease in the influence of men raising children.

In Sweden and Germany, the same possibility of parental leave exists. However, in those countries, the state explicitly encourages fathers to profit from the occasion and stay at home. In Germany, for instance, the sum of payments last for only 14 months, and the payments can be received only if the fathers stay at home with their children at least two months of this time.

This shows that not only in Belarus but also Western countries have a long way to go towards true gender equality in child care. In contrast to Germany and Sweden, Belarus does not do anything to encourage fathers to stay with their children for some time. unsecured loans

A recent article in Nasha Niva weekly on the subject of child care underlines this problem: “Papas will not be forced to work as Mamas”. The fact remains that most mothers have to stay at home because women work in lower-pay jobs.  Women are often paid less, even if they do the same work as men do.
It is a pity that Belarusian young fathers are deprived of the possibility to spend more time with their children. In Belarus, it is unusual for a father to attend the antenatal classes or to be present at the birth of their children. Men who want still want to do so have to explain themselves when talking to others and are made fun of by their male friends.

Belarusian men can be great fathers; they have a lot to give to their children. It would be good for the future generation of Belarusians if the men were enabled by the society to assume their natural role in the upbringing of their offspring. That could be the best present for mothers on the Women's Day.

Parents Day

Parents Day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of July, every year, to mark an expression of gratitude and a sense of thankfulness from every child to his/her parents. Parents are people who are not only responsible for bringing us to this world, but also for nurturing us to sustain in this human race. They imbibe in us positive qualities and make us better human beings. They support us right from the time we are born to the time we leave this world. Parents Day presents the perfect opportunity to thank them for everything that they do for us.

Parent's Day does not have a centuries-old history. Talking about the origin of the day, it was formulated in 1994, by US President Bill Clinton, in his presidential term in White House. He realized that there was a Mother's Day that was celebrated on the second Sunday of May every year and also a Father's Day that was celebrated on the third Sunday of June every year. However, there still existed a void among people. There was no day which commemorated the efforts of both the parents together. It was then that Parent's Day took shape. He signed into law a resolution that was cohesively adopted by US Congress also.

With the signing of the resolution, fourth day of July was realized as the day to rejoice the endeavor of our parents together. According to the Congressional Resolution, Parents' Day is established for "recognizing, uplifting, and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children." The establishment of Parents' Day was the result of a bipartisan, multiracial and interfaith coalition of religious, civic and elected leaders, who recognized the need for promotion of responsible parenting in the society and uplifting the ideal parental role models, especially for the nation's children. bad credit loans

Since its inception, Parents Day celebrations have been encouraged worldwide. Parents are a source of hope, help, stability and love for their children. They teach children important values like courage, integrity, compassion, self-reliance, reverence, and respect for others. unsecured loans Parenthood is a privilege which brings along with itself a lot of responsibilities. All the responsibilities are magnificently met by our parents and so it lies on our part to realize their hard work and give them a token of love. Parents Day offers exemplary opportunity to express gratefulness and appreciation for their efforts.

ve day

It is 65 years ago to the day that Great Britain and the rest of Europe were celebrating the end of the Second World War. A war that had gone on for 6 long years, cost millions of lives, had brought untold hardship and suffering to even more millions of people the like of which we will never know. And for those that had survived it was a time to celebrate and rejoice.

Here in France it is a National Holiday and l believe we should do the same in the UK. It seems fitting to mark this day as an entry on my blog. But as such l know l have to keep it short so l hope l can capture the spirit of the time in the following extracts.

On 4 May 1945 the German forces in north-western Europe surrendered to General Montgomery at Luneberg Heath. On 7 May the German Supreme command surrendered at Rheims. The 8 May was designated as VE-Day – Victory in Europe Day (the war against the Japanese still continued). In Britain there was a great deal of rejoicing and for the first time for many years there was floodlighting of public buildings and statues; restaurants, cinemas and theatres were fully lit up. It was said that some children were terrified by the unexpected amount of light!

The Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, announced to the nation that Germany had, at last, surrendered.
There were scenes of great jubilation, Churchill appeared with the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.He announced to the crowd: “This is your victory. It is the victory of the cause of freedom in every land. In all our long history we have never seen a greater day than this. Everyone, man or woman, has done their best.” The crowds below cheered and sang ‘For he’s a Jolly Good Fellow’ followed by three cheers for victory.

Winston C

hurchill on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with the King and Queen, Princess Margaret and Princess Elizabeth.

VE Day dawned, and for the first time in almost 6 years the weather forecast could be published in the newspapers. ‘Wind freshening; warm and sunny at first but rain can be expected later’, read the Daily Mirror. But the forecast was wrong: ‘the sudden warm snap’ did continue. By the afternoon the temperature in London had risen to 75F and the celebrating crowds sweltered in the unseasonal heat.

Nothing official had been planned to celebrate Victory in Europe. Resentment still simmered in some quarters. ‘A muddle, it was a muddle’. ‘Telling us over and over the church bells would be the signal. And then there was no signal. Just hanging around’. ‘Do ‘em no good in the General Election. The way they have gone on over this. People won’t forget it. An insult that’s what it was…No bells, no All Clears. Nothing to start the people off. That’s what they were afraid of…’ J.G.

But the people did celebrate and took it upon themselves to organise street parties up and down the land. Neighbours pooled their sweet rations and made cakes and sandwiches. They tore down the black-out curtains and made them into fancy dress for the children, music was played in the streets and many had bonfires with effigies of Hitler on top of them. unsecured loans

The following is from a woman working at W.V.S. headquarters in London and describes the night in a letter to a friend:

We all walked to Buckingham Palace. As we got in front of it the flood-lighting flicked on. It was wonderful…magnificent and inspiring and it seemed we had never seen so beautiful a building. The crowd was everywhere and yet one could walk through it. We edged our way to a good view of the balcony, which was draped with crimson, with a yellow and gold fringe. The crowd was such that l have never seen- l was never so proud of England and our people. It was a crowd of seperate individuals. There was never any mass feeling. Everybody spoke quietly or was silent- everybody looked just relieved and glad. We waited. Coloured rockets went up behind us. Then the King and Queen and two Princessses came onto the balcony. We yelled and yelled and yelled and waved and cheered. They waved back to us. It was wonderful…then we began  to walk.We went to a huge bonfire in the park. People had joined hands and were circling round it. We walked by the lake- there were coloured lights in the trees and bushes reflected in the water. We came out of the Park by the Middlesex Guild Hall. It was floodlit in a warm yellowish light and looked medieval with flags from what looked like the battlements. bad credit loans

We went to Big Ben. It was floodlit and looked magnificent. I heard myself say ‘Dear Big Ben! Dear Big Ben!’ The Houses were floodlit from the river and all the lights along the Terrace. What moved us all beyond anything else was the great Union Jack on the Lords. It, alone, was floodlit by lights going straight upwards. It was a great, lovely Union Jack, flying grandly in the sky by itself…We walked to the middle of Westminster Bridge and stood there. Searchlights were all rotating and making a kaleidoscope pattern all over the sky. County Hall was lit in two colours and the training ships in the river strung with coloured lights…We walked back to Parliament Square and turn ed to face Big Ben. It was a few minutes to midnight…At one minute past, all fighting was to cease. It was absolutely silent. Big Ben struck. Just before the last stroke it had reached one minute past. A great cry went up and people clapped their hands. Something went off with a bang…The tugs in the river gave the V sign. It was unforgettable.

cassinga day in namibia

Let us share with you the basic information you need to know when travelling to Namibia. If there is anything else, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.

 

 

General Information:

Capital: Windhoek

Government: Republic

Area: total 824,292 sq km

Population: 1,973.900 (2004)

 

Languages

English; Afrikaans; German; other languages Oshivambo, Herero and Nama.

English is the official language and travellers should have little difficulty communicating with locals, except in some of the remote rural areas. Prior to independence in 1990, Afrikaans was the official language and it is still the lingua franca; the only exception being the Caprivi region where English is spoken. German is widely spoken in Windhoek, Swakopmund, Luderitz and some of the smaller towns. Oshiwambo is the most widely spoken of Namibia’s indigenous languages.

 

 

Electricity

Electricity of 220 volt AC is supplied and sockets are for round, three pin plugs, and 15 amp types.

 

Public Holidays unsecured loans

The following Public Holidays are observed in Namibia.

New Years Day:                  01 January

Independence Day:              21 March

Good Friday:                       March –April

Easter Monday:                   March- April

Workers Day:                      01 May

Cassinga Day:                     4 May

Ascension Day:                   40 days after Easter

Africa Day:                         25 May

Heroes Day:                       26 August

Human Rights Day:             10 December

Christmas Day:                   25 December

Family Day:                        26 December

 

Climate

With an average rainfall of 270mm per year, Namibia is considered to be an arid country. More than 70 percent of the countries rain is recorded between January and April, the rainfall as well as the length of the rainy season increases from the coast inland from south to north. Rain usually falls in the afternoon in the form of thunderstorms which soon pass.

The months between May and September are considered the best time to visit the interior. Daytime temperatures are pleasant, but the evenings can be cold. The following table will give a good indication of the temperatures throughout the country. The figures given are average figures; please bear in mind that temperatures of over 35 degrees Celsius often occur.

 

 

Health and Personal Safety

Health

Although the country is virtually free of tropical diseases, visitors to the Northern regions must be aware of Malaria and bilharzias.

Tap water in the towns is purified and perfectly drinkable. Water obtained from boreholes is very often brackish and can taste unpleasant but is not generally a health risk. In all instances, especially rural communal areas, caution should be exercised.

 

Personal Safety

Tourists visiting any country are a preferred target and Namibia is no different. Always be on the alert for handbag snatchers and pick-pockets. Exercise caution by keeping your vehicle locked. Do not leave valuables or bags visible in the vehicle. When sightseeing in the towns leave cameras, electronic equipment, tickets, passports and excess cash safely at your hotel. It is recommended that you take out insurance to cover personal effects and medical emergencies.

 

Posts and Telecommunications

The postal service in Namibia is operated by Nampost, a government owned enterprise, with post offices throughout the country. The service offered is efficient and reliable.

Telecommunication services in Namibia are provided by Telecom Namibia, an independent state-owned enterprise with more than 50 offices throughout the country.

Namibia has an excellent telecommunications system, with direct dialling to over 200 international destinations. The international dialling code for overseas calls to Namibia is +264, while area codes in the country are preceded by a 0. When calling from outside of Namibia, the 0 of the area code must be submitted.

 

Coin and card public phones are provided at Post-offices, police stations and public places. Cards are sold at Teleshops and Nampost offices.

 

The cellular network is operated by Mobile Telecommunications Ltd (MTC). The network covers Windhoek and virtually all major towns and their immediate surroundings.

 

Time

Namibia introduced differentiated standard times for summer and winter in 1994. Summer time is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2) and commences at 02:00 on the first Sunday of September, ending 02: 00 on the first Sunday of April the following year. Winter time is one hour in advance of GMT (GMT+1) and commences at 02:00 on the first Sunday in April, ending 02:00 on the first Sunday of September.

Namibian winter time is hence one hour behind South African Standard time. In the Northeast of the country many shops, businesses and offices continue to operate on Namibian summer time, as this region lies much further east than the rest of the country.

 

Water

Water from all Namibia’s taps is suitable for drinking. Water is one of Namibia’s scarcest commodities and as such visitors are earnestly requested to make a meaningful water-saving contribution while in the country.

 

 

Here are some simple measures that can be taken:

Shower instead of bath. An average 10cm bath uses about 80 litres of water, while a short shower uses about 24 litres. bad credit loans

 

If a shower is not available then remember that it is not necessary to fill the bath to the rim. You can also share a bath – its fun.

 

Don’t leave water running while washing your hands, brushing your teeth or shaving, use the plug.

 

Use a glass or keep a container of water in the refrigerator rather than drinking water from the tap or letting it run until it is cold.

 

If you notice a leaking tap, report it to the venue’s host.

 

It is illegal to use a hose pipe to wash your car, use a bucket and cloth instead.

 

Thank you for helping us conserve Namibia’s water.

 

What to pack when visiting Namibia

The temperatures in Namibia are clear indications of the type of clothing required.

During the summer months, for both day and night, light clothing is necessary i.e. Cotton shirts, shorts and skirts. Long sleeved shirts and long cotton trousers are a good idea if your skin is sensitive to the sun; they also help to keep mosquitoes at bay after sunset.

This clothing is also adequate for winter day-wear but for early mornings, evenings and night time, warm trousers, jerseys, tracksuits, balaclava, gloves and warm socks may be needed.

Do not forget your sunhat, sunscreen, insect repellent, sunglasses, binoculars, sturdy walking shoes and bathing costume.

Polish National Day

On 3 May 2011, at the prestigious Wellington Club, a reception celebrating the National Day of Poland was held. The ceremony attracted about 200 people. Present were: members of the NZ Government (Hon Christopher Finlayson, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, unsecured loans Hon Judith Collins, Minister of Police, Corresctions and Veterans' Affairs, Hon Wayne Mapp, Minister of Defence, Hon Hekia Parata, Minister for Ethnic and Women's Affairs), Members of Parliament ( approximately 10 members, including the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee and the President of the Poland-New Zealand Parliamentary Group), J. Dew, Archbishop of Wellington, representatives of MFAT (including the Deputy Secretary Chris Seed) and other Ministries, academic institutions, research and culture , Ambassadors and members of the diplomatic-consular corps (including our new Honorary Consul in Christchurch Winsome Dormer), representatives of the Polish Community of Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch.

Customarily, two speeches were delivered: one of the Ambassador Beata Stoczyńska and, on behalf of the New Zealand Government, of Minister Chris Finlayson. In her speech, Ambassador referred to the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, relations between Poland and New Zealand and JPII's Beatification. Minister Finlayson thanked the Polish government for the condolences recieved after the earthquake in Christchurch, referred to the long tradition of political, cultural, economic relations, also in a historical context.

In connection with the funeral of Mr. Czeslaw Tomaszyk (a soldier of the Polish Underground, arrested and imprisoned in three Nazi camps, who after arriving in New Zealand was a successful businessman), that took place earlier on the same day, Minister introduced this late soldier as an example of a person who has achieved a success and had a great carrer in New Zealand, while neved strayed from his traditional Polish roots. Both speeches were very well received. bad credit loans

Olga Gryniewicz, a soprano singer, sang national anthems of Poland and New Zealand. Promotional video „Poland - Move Your Imagination" was also presented.

 

turtle boy

The summer of ’79 has just begun in Delaware, Ohio, promising months of idle fun. But when Timmy Quinn and his best friend stumble across a stranger at Myers Pond — a frightening child they call “The Turtle Boy” — their summer break turns deadly.

In The Turtle Boy, Kealan Patrick Burke masterfully recreates that magical time from childhood: summer vacation. To this reviewer — who spent many pleasant summers blazing trails through the woods and engaging in mock battles by the creek with friends — Burke’s writing rings true and evokes a welcome sense of nostalgia. More than a simple trip down memory lane, the short novel pulls readers along a dark path toward horrifying events.

Burke enriches his already strong prose with vivid imagery. He subtly adds menace to the story with his descriptions of the landscape (“To their left, blank-faced white houses stood facing each other, their windows’ glaring eyes issuing silent challenges … To the right, hedges reared high, the tangles of weeds … occasionally gathered at the base of the gnarled trees upon whose palsied arms leaves hung as an apparent afterthought”) before he introduces the disfigured Turtle Boy (“His eyes were cold dark stones … [His] head looked like a rotten squash beaten and decorated to resemble a human being’s and his mouth could have been a recently healed wound … or a burn … The boy grinned a grin 

of ripped stitches”).

After his powerful start, however, Burke falters slightly. Timmy’s friendship with a neighborhood girl progresses too quickly: hours after being forced to spend time together, they are holding hands, and Timmy finds that he “welcomed the contact.” He thinks, “Does this mean she’s my girlfriend?” Granted, their bond is forged in the face of danger, and the novel’s short unsecured loans length doesn’t allow for more leisurely character development. Although the story becomes mired in a patch of human melodrama near the end, Burke tries hard to keep the surreal and the supernatural at the forefront — he introduces the shifting realities of The Curtain and The Stage, concepts that he will surely revisit in future stories.

A character in the book says, “The living have enough to worry about these days without the dead coming back to complicate things.” Readers, however, will likely bad credit loans welcome such complications in Kealan Patrick Burke’s future work. He promises more stories featuring Timmy Quinn, including a short novel called The Hides from Cemetery Dance Publications and a novelette titled “Vessels” in the upcoming anthology The Black.

Constitution & Independence Day marshall island

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) is a Micronesian nation on 29 coral atolls and 5 low-lying islands in the central Pacific, mid-way between Hawaii and Australia.

In 1978 the Marshall Islands in referendum separated from the rest of Micronesia and adopted the Constitution in 1979, which came into effect on May 1, 1979 and established the Marshall Islands a self-governing country.
In 1986, the Compact of Free Association with the United States was signed granting the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) its sovereignty and independence on 21 October 1986. The RMI became a member of the United Nations in 1991.

The 1979 Constitution sets forth a unicameral parliamentary system. However, the President is both Chief of State and Head of Government and is elected by members of the Nitjela (Parliament). This element makes the Government of the Marshall Islands a mixed parliamentary presidential system. The Marshall Islands has a bicameral legislature which consists of two Houses: the lower house or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms who have legislative power) and the upper house or Council of Iroij (an advisory body comprising 12 tribal chiefs who advise on customary issues).

The legal system of RMI is based on adapted Trust Territory laws (the American common law), acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws. For example, the Laws of Copyrights, Patents and Trademarks of the United States are applicable in Marshall Islands. unsecured loans

The Preamble of the Constitution guarantees sui generis rights concerning the respect and protection of traditional cultural expressions and traditional knowledge stating: "All we have and are today as a people, we have received as a sacred heritage which we pledge ourselves to safeguard and maintain, valuing nothing more dearly than our rightful home on the islands within the traditional boundaries of this archipelago." The traditional rights are furthermore recognized in Article X. "Traditional Rights".

The Constitution also contains many provisions that specifically recognize and guarantee the right to property. Section 4 of Article II "Bill of Rights" prohibits the deprivation of private property, providing in part: "1) No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law..." bad credit loans

The protection of private property rights is again specified in Subsection 4(10), Subsections 5(1), (4), (8) of Article II "Bill of Rights, Subsection 15 (3) of Article VIII "Finance". Similarly, the protection of property or other assets of Government is also stipulated in Subsection 4 (c) of Article I "Supremacy of the Constitution”.