INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP DAY

International Friendship Day celebrations take place on the first Sunday of August every year. The tradition of dedicating a day in honor of friends began in US in 1935. Gradually the festival gained popularity and today Friendship Day is celebrated in a large number of countries. On this day people spend time with their friends and express love for them. The exchange of Friendship Day Gifts like flowers, cards and wrist bands is a popular tradition of this occasion.
The United States Congress, in 1935, proclaimed the first Sunday of August as National Friendship Day. Since then, celebration of National Friendship Day became an annual event
Following the popularity and success of Friendship Day in US, several other countries adopted the tradition of dedicating a day to friends. Today, Friendship Day is enthusiastically celebrated by several countries across the world.
In 1997, the United Nations named Winnie the Pooh as the world's Ambassador of Friendship

FESTIVAL OF KITE

The 2009 Bristol International Festival of Kites & Air Creations had a wonderful weekend on 12 & 13 September - beautiful blue skies, wind (most of the time!) and fantastic flying displays made it one of the best weekends yet!

The Festival would like to send a big thank you to everyone who attended over the weekend - we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! There were plenty of fantastic photo opportunities, so if you would like to share them or see photos from this and past years, click HERE to visit the community page.

We would also like to thank all the local, national and international kite flyers who worked so hard to put on brilliant displays and make it a weekend to remember. The wind was a bit tricky, and you all did an amazing job!

Also thanks to everyone who donated to Marie Cure Cancer Care for supporting such a great cause. And finally, to all thevolunteers and Friends of the Festival, particularly the Al-Farsi Kite Team, for helping this year's Festival to become a reality. You call see all our friends HERE.

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

Festival of Lights or Celebration of Light may refer to: In religion: Chaharshanbe Suri, part of the Persian New Year and also known as Festival of Light ...

TWINE FESTIVAL

TWINE FESTIVAL
The Binder Twine Festival, or usually Binder Twine, is an annual festival held the first Saturday after Labour Day every year in Kleinburg, Ontario, Canada.

In the late 1800s, farmers would come to the community to acquire twine with which they could bind sheaves of wheat. Charlie Shaw, a resident, offered food and entertainment to those farmers, hence the festival was born.

In 1967, a committee of residents revived the concept as part of Canada's Centennial celebrations.

Organized and operated entirely by volunteers, Binder Twine has become a successful community event, and has resulted in new town signage, and the creation of Binder Twine Park.

The festival features the Binder Twine Queen contest and a Quilt Raffle, along with craft sales and musical entertainment.

GANGA SAGARA FESTIVAL – GANGA DUSSEHRA:

Ganga Dussehra:
"Festivals connected with rivers are essentially bathing festivals. Ganga Dussehra is celebrated on the tenth day of Jyeshtha. River Ganga is worshipped as a mother as well as a Goddess, particularly by people of Uttara Pradesh, Bihar, and Bengal through which the river flows. On this day, if a devotee is unable to visit and bathe in the river Ganga, then Ganga jal (water) kept in most Hindu homes is used for purification. A bath in the river is said to purify the bather of all sins. The Ganga is revered all over India even in places far from its course.
Initially, river Ganga flowed in the heavens. She was brought down to earth by the severe penances of the sage Bhagiratha and that is why she is also called Bhagirathi. According to the story, of the descent of the Ganga, once a number of demons were harassing the hermits by disturbing them in their ascetic duties. During the day, they would be chased into the ocean. But in the darkness of the night, they would emerge from the ocean and start harassing the hermits again. In desperation the hermits appealed to Rishi Agastya. Agastya, known for his gastronomic powers, drank all the water of the ocean. Though this was done in good faith, it resulted in depriving the world of the water needed for sustenance and the earth became parched and dry. Bhagiratha brought this drought to and end.

Nobanno Utshob

Nobanno Utshob is a bangali festival celebreting the harvesting season according to the bangali Calender's 8th Month Agrahyana. This Picture is taken from Charukola Institute, Dhaka University.

Hollywood International Film Festival:

The Hollywood International Film Festival®, was created to bridge the gap between established Hollywood, indie filmmakers and the global creative community, as well as to honor excellence in the art of filmmaking.
ArcLight Cinemas Lobby 2007



Above photo or ArcLight Cinemas lobby in Hollywood where the Hollywood International Film Festival® screenings take place. Below photo of Starz's Hollywood Awards® After-Party at the prestigious Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills

JAPANANES FESTIVALS

Seijin No Hi -- Coming of Age Day (January 8th)
Seijin No Hi is the first holiday of the year after New Year's is all over. It is for all the women who have just become legal adults (age 20), and most families buy a kimono for their daughter. The typical kimono is 300-400 thousand yen, but much more extravagant kimono can be even as high as a million yen each. On the day the young lady will typically go to a nearby Shinto Shrine and pray for health, success, money, etc. It's one of the few times you will see anyone wear a kimono -- except for the grannies running around going to study or teach tea ceremony. The other occasions are graduation from a college, and once in a while at a wedding. And if you're one of those country oakies that eats roadkill for dinner and still thinks Japanese dress like this every day, WAKE UP!!

Fashion in Film Festival

Since its foundation in 2005, the Fashion in Film Festival (FFF) has become a leading showcase for the common ground shared by fashion and film.

The biennial festival premiered in London in May 2006 with the brilliantly received programme “Between Stigma and Enigma” and now has a touring schedule which includes the Museum of the Moving Image in New York, Kino Svetozor in Prague and Mode Biennale in Arnhem.

More than just a celebration of fashion in film, the festival encourages critical response to its content, and addresses current practices in the context of film’s long history. Dedicated to promoting new ideas and experimentation, FFF also commissions new work in contemporary “fashion moving image”, bringing together artists, designers, photographers, filmmakers, performers and musicians.

Drawing on a rich film history and a wide variety of genres, from feature and documentary film to artist video, animation shorts and newsreels, FFF presents a mix of popular culture, art and the underground which shows how the moving image has represented and interpreted fashion as a concept, an industry and a cultural form.

FFF is partnered and supported by a number of major cultural institutions internationally, including the University of the Arts London, Arts Council England, Arts & Business, Film London, Institut Français, Tate Modern, BFI Southbank, SHOWstudio and New York’s Museum of the Moving Image and Tribeca Grand.

In addition to the biennial touring festival, Fashion in Film's curators also collaborate on smaller projects including special screenings, conferences and exhibitions.

SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL BELLY DANCE FESTIVAL

The festival brings together new and established dance teachers and students from across the South Africa who perform and conduct workshops on various artistic styles and forms of bellydance. The festivall is organized by Marocca Belly Dance Studios.

SPRING FESTIVAL OF CHINA

Far and away the most important holiday in China is Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year. To the Chinese people it is as important as Christmas to people in the West. The dates for this annual celebration are determined by the lunar calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar, so the timing of the holiday varies from late January to early February.
To the ordinary Chinese, the festival actually begins on the eve of the lunar New Year's Day and ends on the fifth day of the first month of the lunar calendar. But the 15th of the first month, which normally is called the Lantern Festival, means the official end of the Spring Festival in many parts of the country.
Preparations for the New Year begin the last few days of the last moon, when houses are thoroughly cleaned, debts repaid, hair cut and new clothes purchased. Houses are festooned with paper scrolls bearing auspicious antithetical couplet (as show on both side of the page) and in many homes, people burn incense at home and in the temples to pay respects to ancestors and ask the gods for good health in the coming months.
"Guo Nian," meaning "passing the year," is the common term among the Chinese people for celebrating the Spring Festival. It actually means greeting the new year. At midnight at the turn of the old and new year, people used to let off fire-crackers which serve to drive away the evil spirits and to greet the arrival of the new year. In an instant the whole city would be engulfed in the deafening noise of the firecrackers.
On New Year's Eve, all the members of families come together to feast. Jiaozi, a steamed dumpling as pictured below, is popular in the north, while southerners favor a sticky sweet glutinous rice pudding called nian gao.

Humanity Festival Brazil

Humanity Festival Brazil
The Humanity Festival
Full Moon in Gemini

It’s the Celebration of Mahachohan, nowadays St. Germain.

It represents the Festival of the Holy Spirit anchors the energy of the 3rd ray on Earth.

The I am University Brazil will be hosting the Humanity Festival (Geminy Full Moon) in Brazil, which is one of the most important spiritual celebrations of the year.

This event is being organized internally by the beloved masters St. Germain, Seraphys Bey, Hygeia, Mother Mary, Lady Portia, Divine Mother, Archangels Samuel and Elohins Heros and Amora, among others.

• CHANNELINGS of THE ASCENDED MASTERS:
St Germain, Seraphys Bey, Hygeia, Lady Portia, Holy Spirit, Wywamus, Sanat Kumara, Samuel, Heros and Amora…

• HOW TO BECOME A FULLY REALIZED INTEGRATED CHRIST IN THIS LIFETIME!

• TRAINING IN HOW TO BECOME AN INTEGRATED ASCENDED MASTER OR I AM MASTER!

• WORLD SERVICE for GAYA

• BREATHING TRAINING!

• HUMANITY FULL MOON CEREMONY

• DISPENSATION OF THE GIFTS OF THE 3ND RAY MASTERS!

• ANCHORING AND ACTIVATION OF THE HIGHER BODIES!

• ACTIVATIONS AND INITIATIONS!

ARCHITECTS FASTIVALS

Judging the Future Projects Final involved us in the flexing of our brains between macro projects for whole city transportation through inflatable venues and hospitals to minute and elegant interventions, writes Peter Cook. We were continually assured (of course) that the projects were based upon sustainable ethics and then, suspiciously often, draped in greenery. The winner – EMBT’s Spanish Pavilion for Shanghai - was something else however: a simultaneously logical, charming and clever extrapolation of the Spanish sense of dance (without in the least being corny) and a development that progressively involves the tradition and the actuality of Spanish basket-weaving. It was described with exemplary logic that suggests that this will not only be a beautiful object, but also the fruit of a different kind of sustaining – that of intense study, craft and wit over the whole period of design. This quality of ‘follow-through’ lifted it just ahead of the very beautiful Cemetery for Szentendre by A4 - awarded a commendation - with its evocative and sensitive drawings and a diagram that will demand equally impeccable choice of material. Another commendation is given to the East London Green Grid by Design for London that is a powerfully convincing strategic plan. This last project represented for Mark Dytham, Bill Hanway and myself (the jury) the ‘best of breed’ within the group that included various categories of infrastructure and strategy. Perhaps next year, this group can be siphoned-off from the rest of the ‘Future Projects´- not to kick them into touch, but more to elevate their significance and support their sponsors. A final quizzical note comes from the clearly observable difference in valued criteria (not just ‘style’) between the European architects and the Americans – or American-trained. Maybe a question of sensitivity, maybe a question of priorities - perhaps some journal might be bold enough to take this issue up some day?

FANTASTIC FESTIVALS WORLD

The art of puppet theatre is celebrated at a dedicated festival in the French town of Charleville-Mezieres in the Champagne-Ardenne region. The festival was started in the midst of world War II by local youth who wanted to make children laugh during those hard times. Today, visitors fill the streets of this friendly town to meet the best puppeteers from all over the world as they show their craft in the city's narrow streets, in the beautiful main square, along the river bank and inside traditional theaters.

ACCORDION FESTIVALS

ACCORDION FESTIVAL

Held every year in the beautiful downtown Riverwalk area on the historic grounds of La Villita (3 three blocks south of the Alamo on South Alamo Street), the International Accordion Festival features performances, workshops, open mic sessions, accordion jams and a fun new area for young people and families. On three stages, enjoy ensembles from around the globe playing everything from Celtic to Creole, from Conjunto to Quebecois, from Cowboy to Klezmer, Chamame to Chicken Scratch and much, much more. In our workshop area, find informal sessions and performances featuring up-close and personal interactions with master artists and their music.
It's big, it's outdoors, it's three days. It's dancing and fun for the whole family. The festival also boasts ethnic foods, beverage and merchandise booths throughout the weekend. And best of all, Saturday and Sunday admission is free all day!
The International Accordion Festival is produced in partnership with the San Antonio Office of Cultural Affairs, the Witte Museum and Friends of the Canary Islands-San Antonio Inc. and the Canary Islands Office, an initiative of Las Palmas and La Laguna University Foundations, PROEXCA and the Government of the Canary Islands.
Festival schedule and line-up are subject to change.

INTERNATIONAL QUILT FESTIVAL

International Quilt Festival returns to Santa Clara, CA with a spectacular collection of over 800 quilts and works of wearable and textile art. This well-recognized and largest quilt show on the west coast, known to quilters as P.I.Q.F., is held at the Santa Clara Convention Center in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Not only does this incredible event feature astounding works of quilt art, it also offers a wide array of workshops and lectures presented by world-renowned instructors. A 300 booth Merchants Mall can be found with the best in fabrics, notions, machines, wearable art and everything for the quilter, artist and home sewer.

Visitors to the show will view a magnificent competition of the finest quilts created by talented artists from across the globe. Fashionable entries from the Wearable Art Competition will also be on display.

In addition, this Festival also features over 60 workshops and lectures presented by our international teaching staff.

INTERNATIONAT ARTS FESTIVALS

The Edinburgh Festival is the largest arts festival in the world and has been running since 1947. It comprises mainly the International Festival and the Fringe Festival, with a smaller jazz festival, a film festival and a book festival running at more or less the same time.
Both Festivals showcase international talent, though the International one focuses on world class acts in the areas of music, opera, drama and dance, while the Fringe concentrates on giving space to hundreds of smaller, innnovative, wackier music and drama groups - that perform all day and much of the night too, just about anywhere there is space for a couple of chairs.
Fringe standards vary from sensational, next generation world-beating artists, to totally crap performers who embarrass everbody in the theatre except themselves.
The whole three week event, set in beautiful, walkable Edinburgh at the best time of year is a must-do at least once for anyone interested in the arts, but book accomodation well ahead.

INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVALS

The Bowdoin International Music Festival brings renowned artist instructors, performers, soloists, and gifted pre-professional classical musicians from around the world to beautiful Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine each summer for six weeks of intensive chamber music study, collaboration, and performance.
Musicians from groups such as the New York Philharmonic and Cleveland Orchestra, the Ying and Shanghai quartets, and major conservatories including Juilliard, Eastman, Indiana, Shanghai, and London’s Royal College collaborate with our summer study participants and present more than 80 concerts each season in seven concert series.

INTERNATIONAL FOOD FESTIVAL

Over two days, the streets come alive with the scents of delicious food during the annual Ninth Avenue International Food Festival. About 1 million visitors descend on the area between 37th Street to 57th Street to sample the many culinary delights on offer. But attractions go far beyond food and include a programme of live entertainment, music and dancing. This is a fun event for all the family.

INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL

Dance Festivals held in Blackpool both at the Winter Gardens and the Blackpool Tower Ballroom, plus the dancers that attend each year.

Four of the five Dance Festivals are held in the Empress Ballroom at the Winter Gardens and the Junior Dance Festival held at the stunning Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

Our 'Useful Links' section is a great feature where dancers can access a directory to find the best costumes, equipment, accessories & accommodation to help them compete in the prestigious Blackpool Dance Festival's.
'The Worlds First and Foremost Festival Of Dancing

INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. The films may be of recent date and, depending upon the focus of the individual festival, can include international releases as well as films produced by the organisers' domestic film industry. Sometimes there is a focus on a specific film-maker or genre (e.g., film noir) or subject matter (e.g., gay and lesbian film festivals) A number of film festivals specialise in short films, each with its defined maximum length. Film festivals are typically annual events.

The world's first major film festival was held in Venice in 1938; the other major film festivals of the world (Berlin, Edinburgh, Cannes, Moscow, and Karlovy Vary) date back to the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival in the UK was established in 1947 and is the longest continually running film festival in the world.

The first North American film festival was the Columbus International Film & Video Festival, also known as The Chris Awards, held in 1953. According to the Film Arts Foundation in San Francisco, "The Chris Awards (is) one of the most prestigious documentary, educational, business and informational competitions in the U.S; (it is) the oldest of its kind in North America and celebrating its 54th year."

FESTIVAL OF NEW YEAR

The New Year is the day that marks the end of one year and the beginning of the next year, and is the day on which the year count is incremented. In many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner


In countries which use the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day is usually celebrated on 1 January.
The order of months in the Roman calendar has been January to December since King Numa Pompilius in about 700 BC, according to Plutarch and Macrobius. However, Roman writers identified years by naming the year's consuls, who did not enter office on 1 January until 153 BC. Since then 1 January has been the first day of the year, except during the Middle Ages when several other days were the first (1 March, 25 March, Easter, 1 September, 25 December).
With the expansion of Western culture to the rest of the world during the twentieth century, the 1 January date became global, even in countries with their own New Year celebrations on other days (e.g., China and India).
At present, the celebration of the New Year is a major event worldwide. Many large-scale events are held in major cities around the world, with many large fireworks events on New Year's Eve (31 December

EID-E-MILAD-UN-NABI

The legal and religious status of celebrating the birth of the Holy Prophet (saw) in light of the Qur’an and Sunnah:
And indeed everyone rejoices except for Shaytan and his counterparts, because:
Iblis cried loudly four times, first when Allah declared him as cursed, second when he was thrown out, Third When Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) was born and fourth when Surah Fatiha was revealed [Ibn Kathir in Al Bidayah wan Nihayah, Volume 2, Page No. 166]
Muslims rejoice on birth of Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) because Allah has told us to rejoice on his bounties and mercies, This following text shall be based on A) Quran and its sciences B)Hadith literature C) Sayings of eminent scholars and fuqaha D) Counter refutation of proofs cited against Mawlid.

Valentine's Day Festival

Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the English-speaking countries, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.
The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines". Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards. The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based on British models. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th century America, where many Valentine cards are now general greeting cards rather than declarations of love, was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States. It's considered one of the Hallmark holidays.
The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas. The association estimates that, in the US, men spend on average twice as much money as women