Around the World – June 2016
Father’s Day is a special day to celebrate dads and father figures everywhere. It’s a day to say thanks to the men who have played an important role in your life. Of course that includes dads, grandfathers and uncles and can even include coaches and other mentors. The first Father’s Day was officially observed in 1908 in Fairmont West Virginia. Grace Golden Clayton was mourning the loss of her father at the time and a nearby town had recently lost 361 men in a mining accident. This tragedy left about 1,000 local kids fatherless. This inspired Clayton to talk with her pastor, Robert Thomas Webb, about honoring all those fathers. There were Father’s Day celebrations in many place across the country each year, but it was not until 1966 that President Lyndon B. Johnson issued a proclamation declaring the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. This year, Father’s Day falls on June 19.
The summer solstice is on June 20 this year in the northern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere celebrates the winter solstice on this day. On this day, Earth’s North Pole will tilt directly toward the sun. Solstices were commonly celebrated in the past (and still are in some places). Stonehenge in England is designed to mark the exact moment of the summer solstice and is believed to have played a big part in the ancient cultures that used to reside there.
Although the Russian population is made up of ethnicities, on June 12, the entire population celebrates Russia Day. The holiday was officially introduced in 1994 when the country’s leaders agreed to dissolve the Soviet Union and embrace a different and more democratic form of government. The holiday was originally named the Day of Signing the Declaration of State Sovereignty. It was renamed in 2002. On Russia Day, the president recognizes and awards prominent writers, scientists and humanitarian workers.