Do you know when
the National Day of your country of origin is celebrated? How
about that of the colleague sitting near you? In countries all
over the world, National Day is among the most important
celebrations of the year.
Begin your journey toward international understanding
by learning about the National Day celebrations around the
globe. Knowing the date of your country of origin’s National
Day is a fun and easy way to learn its history, and something
about your family, as well. Learning about the National Day of
a country with which you do business, or the native nation of
your co-workers, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and
relatives, is an excellent way to gain an understanding of
their culture.
Except for people of Native American heritage, everyone
in the United States is an immigrant from another place. The
wealth of diversity in our country is unique to all the world
and, to me, it definitely enriches my life beyond all
measure.
As an American of Chinese heritage, I’ve learned that
October 1 is the National Day in the People’s Republic of
China (PRC), and that the Republic of China (ROC), also known
as Taiwan, celebrates Double Ten National Day on October 10.
The PRC National Day marks the anniversary of the 1949
founding of the People's Republic of China. It is the most
important of China's official holidays, celebrated over an
entire week. For further details on China, see http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cntoc.html
In the ROC, October 10th commemorates the Wuchang
Uprising that signaled the Chinese people to rebel against the
Manchu court. Although the official founding day is January 1,
1912, the events on October 10, 1911 are considered the spark
that brought down the Manchu dynasty and led to the
establishment of the ROC. For further details on the ROC, see
http://www.taipei.org/teco/cicc/currents/11-1299/index/ten.html
Some time this month, take a few minutes out of your
busy life to reflect on your heritage by finding out the date
and traditions of the National Day of your country of origin.
Explore online, look on calendars, or check history books for
information. To document how your own family traditionally
celebrated these National Days, check with elder family
members who are most likely a wealth of knowledge.
To find out about other cultures, ask your friends,
co-workers, and colleagues how they celebrate their National
Days. Sharing stories about these time-honored experiences and
traditions, here and elsewhere, are what weaves the fabric of
our American quilt.
When it comes to business, take time to learn all you
can about the countries and cultures of your clients and
customers. Make sure to note when these colleagues celebrate
their National Day and be sure to acknowledge it in
correspondence and when scheduling work projects.
To follow is a partial List of October National
Days as seen on National Days Around the Word at http://www.nnsw.com.au/regional/national_days.html
1 China: National Day
1 Cyprus: National Day
1 Nigeria: Republic Day
1 Palau: National Day
1 Tuvalu: Independence Day
2 Guinea: National Day
3 Germany: National Day
4 Lesotho: National Day
9 Uganda: Independence Day
10 Fiji: National Day
12 Equatorial Guinea: National Day
|
12 Spain: National Day
19 Niue: National Day
21 Somalia: The 21st of October Revolution
24 Zambia: Independence Day
26 Austria: National Day
27 St. Vincent and the Grenadines: National Day
27 Turkmenistan: National Day
28 Czech Republic: National Day
29 Turkey: Republic Day |
Have fun
discovering and
learning!
