All - Leep Calendar

The Andromeda Galaxy, or M31, is a spiral galaxy approximately 2.537 million light-years from Earth. It's the nearest spiral galaxy to our Milky Way and is on a collision course with it in about 4 billion years. This galactic giant galaxy becomes visible to the human eye during the autumn months in the Northern Hemisphere. To view, choose a clear, dark sky away from city lights. Andromeda will appear as a faint, blurry smudge in the constellation of Andromeda, which can be found by first locating the Great Square of Pegasus. Two lines of stars extend from the square, forming a "V" shape. Andromeda Galaxy is located just above these lines. The optimum time to view Andromeda this week will be at the new moon when the sky is darkest. Binoculars or a small telescope can enhance the viewing experience, revealing more details of the galaxy, including its bright core and dust lanes.

Africa

Dec

Anti-Corruption Excellence Award (ACE) Awards: December 9

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Annually on International Anti-corruption Day, The Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Anti-Corruption Excellence Award or ACE Award is an international recognition established to honor and support the global fight against corruption. Named after Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, the award underscores the commitment of the nation and its leadership to promote transparency, accountability, and the rule of law. The award aims to recognize and honor the significant contributions of individuals, organizations, and governments worldwide in preventing and combating corruption. The broader objective is to foster zero tolerance towards corruption and inspire more individuals and institutions to participate in anti-corruption efforts actively. The award features several categories: research, youth creativity, innovative projects, and lifetime or outstanding achievement. Each highlights a different aspect or approach to the battle against corruption. Nominees undergo a stringent evaluation process. An independent committee of experts from different world regions assesses the contributions based on their impact, innovation, sustainability, and cooperation. An annual award ceremony is held in different countries, bringing together leaders, activists, and stakeholders worldwide. The event honors the awardees and serves as a platform for discussions, networking, and sharing best practices in anti-corruption efforts. The award is in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). This partnership underscores the global nature of the initiative and aligns it with the broader international efforts against corruption. Over the years, the award has shed light on many outstanding anti-corruption efforts, giving them a global platform. It has significantly inspired and motivated activists, policymakers, and institutions to enhance their anti-corruption initiatives. The Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Anti-Corruption Excellence Award is a testament to the global commitment to eliminating corruption, promoting best practices, and celebrating those who lead the way in creating a more transparent and accountable world.

Africa

Sep

Rivers Day, World: September 22

06:20 AM | -

World Rivers Day expanded from BC Rivers Day, created by Mark Angelo of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, in 1980. Upon the designation of Water for Life Decade by the United Nations in 2005, it became an annual event observed on the fourth Sunday of September. Currently, over 60 nations partake in the event. World Rivers Day is a celebration of the world's waterways. It highlights the many values of rivers, strives to increase public awareness, and encourages the improved stewardship of rivers around the world.

Africa

Sep

Sea Otter Awareness Week: September 22-28

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Sea Otter Awareness Week falls in September and seeks to raise awareness of the plight of sea otters concerning oil spills and ecological destruction. During this week, you can learn how to protect sea otters from disasters created by man and support the ecosystems they live.

Africa

Sep

Senior, Centenarian's Day, Ntl.: September 22

06:20 AM | -

If you are lucky enough to live to one-hundred years old, you've earned the right to be called a Centenarian. Centenarians have lived rich lives and are eager to share their experiences. National Centenarian's Day exists to promote these people and their knowledge. Check with your local senior center to see if you can visit a centenarian in your city. They'll appreciate the opportunity, and you'll learn a lot.

Africa

Sep

Spring Begins (Southern Hemisphere): September 22

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The first spring day (Australia time) occurs at the equinox in the southern hemisphere and is the first day of fall in the northern hemisphere. An equinox occurs when the sun passes the earth's equator and day and night are virtually equal in length.

Africa

Sep

Storytelling Day, (Southern) World: September 22

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World Storytelling Day is a global honoring of the art of oral storytelling. It's marked annually on the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere and the autumn equinox in the southern. It's a day for various organizations and individuals to organize events for storytelling, regardless of language and cultural barriers. Each year has a theme.

Africa

Sep

Tolkien Week, Intl.: September 22-28

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International Tolkien Week encompasses Hobbit Day (September 22). This week commemorates JRR Tolkien, the author of the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and his son Christopher J.R. Tolkien, his father’s editor. This celebration began in 1978, with school libraries displaying Tolkien’s works, becoming an international event.

Africa

Sep

Walk & Roll Dog Day, Ntl: September 22

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People aren't the only living beings on this planet that sometimes need a little help getting around due to paralysis or limb loss. Animals too. Created in 2011, National Walk & Roll Dog Day honors our canine companions that need ambulatory help, often in the form of wheelchairs. It's a day to strut your pal proudly and rejoice in the longevity veterinary science has created through animal wheelchairs.

Africa

Sep

Wedding Proposal Day (Fall): September 22

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Twice a year, Proposal Day® falls on the equinox, generating worldwide discussion among eligible singles seeking marriage. The day allows singles to press the issue if so inclined. This day also supports rescue animals in shelters for those not ready to marry. If you're not prepared to propose, you're encouraged to add to your family by adopting an animal. Not just dogs and cats but rabbits, birds, and other animals often find their way into shelters too. Can't have pets? Try a fish! Created and trademarked by John Michael O'Loughlin, check his site on this day to see who is named the most eligible bachelor and bachelorette in the world.

Africa

Sep

White Chocolate Day: September 22

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White chocolate comes from cocoa butter without cocoa beans and first appeared in the 1930s under the Nestlé brand. This sweet, creamy confection is a favorite with truffle lovers and candy lovers alike. National White Chocolate Day is an unofficial event with no sponsor.

Africa

Sep

Adult Education & Family Literacy Week, Ntl.: September 15-21

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National Adult Education & Family Literacy Week raises awareness of adult education and literacy and provides access to adult education resources. Activities focus on community outreach, engagement, and methods to increase adult literacy. There are many reasons for illiteracy. If you’ve ever lived in a foreign country where you did not speak the language, then you know how hard life can be when you cannot read. You can be fully literate in your language and illiterate in another, a state compounded by different alphabets. It may also be that you never learned how to read. Perhaps you have a learning disability, which makes it hard. Unfortunately, the ability to read and write is essential to survival. National Adult Education & Family Literacy Week bridges the gap between those who cannot read and those who can.

Africa

Sep

Bi Visibility Day: September 23

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Created by Wendy Curry, Michael Page, and Gigi Raven Wilbur, Bi Visibility Day encourages people bisexual people to celebrate their sexuality with the world. Bisexuals are sexually attracted to both sexes. In recent years this event has expanded to include biromantics, people whose romantic orientation connects with both sexes. This event first ran in 1999.

Africa

Sep

Checkers / Dog in Politics Day (1952): September 23

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Checkers or Dog in Politics Day commemorates the 'Checkers Speech' by Vice Presidential candidate Richard Nixon on September 23, 1953. The Checkers Speech garnered the largest television audience then, with about 60 million Americans watching it, leading to a public outpouring of support. Richard Nixon was accused of using his campaign contributions for his personal use. Nixon went to Los Angeles to defend himself and delivered a speech to the public for half an hour. At the end of his speech, he stated that he intended to keep only one gift, a dog named Checkers; now you know how Checkers Day got its name. Nixon would become the President of the United States from January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974.

Africa

Sep

Deaf, International Day of Sign Language: September 23

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International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL) is a United Nations General Assembly event celebrated annually on 23 September, beginning in 2018. The IDSL aims to raise sign language awareness and strengthen sign language's status as part of the International Week of the Deaf (IWDeaf), celebrated during the whole last week of September.

Africa