Thursday, the 22nd of May, 2014 is the 142th day in 2014 and in the 21st calendar week.
General Events:
International Day for Biological Diversity
May 22, 2014 in the World
The International Day for Biological Diversity, also known as World Biodiversity Day, is celebrated on May 22, 2014. It is a United Nations–sanctioned international day for the promotion of biodiversity issues. The day is celebrated annually.
From its creation by the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly in 1993 until 2000, it was held on December 29 to celebrate the day the Convention on Biological Diversity went into effect. On December 20, 2000, the date was shifted to commemorate the adoption of the Convention on May 22, 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit, and partly to avoid the many other holidays that occur in late December.
The United Nations General Assembly declared 2011-2020 the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity. This decade serves to support and promote implementation of the objectives of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, with the goal of significantly reducing biodiversity loss.
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given species, ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas Polar Regions support fewer species.
International Day for Biological Diversity 22 May:
http://www.un.org/en/events/biodiversityday/
Where is Day for Biological Diversity?
Worldwide
Buy a Musical Instrument Day
May 22, 2014 in the World
It’s Buy a Musical Instrument Day! It is unknown when the first musical instrument was invented, but historians believe that flutes made of animal bones date back 37,000 years. Today there are 6 main instrument categories – percussion, woodwinds, brass, strings, keyboard, and electronic.
The most played instrument worldwide is the piano, followed by the guitar and the drums. Other popular instruments include the flute, ukulele, saxophone, clarinet, trombone, and violin. Not only is playing a musical instrument fun, it can also increase abilities in other areas. Children who play a musical instrument are shown to read at advanced levels, have larger vocabularies, and work better in teams.
Playing a musical instrument is a fun and engaging activity for people of all ages. Celebrate today as you learn to play a new instrument, or tune up an old one!
Where is Buy a Musical Instrument Day?
Worldwide
Harvey Milk Day
May 22, 2014 in the World
Harvey Milk Day is celebrated on May 22, 2014. Harvey Milk Day is organized by the Harvey Milk Foundation and celebrated globally each year held May 22 in memory of Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist assassinated in 1978. In California, Harvey Milk Day is recognized as a day of special significance for public schools. The day was established by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2009 following the success of the award-winning feature film Milk retracing Milk’s life.
Where is Harvey Milk Day?
Worldwide
United States National Maritime Day
May 22, 2014 in the USA
United States National Maritime Day takes place on May 22, 2014. National Maritime Day is a United States holiday created to recognize the maritime industry. It is observed on May 22, the date that the American steamship Savannah set sail from Savannah, Georgia on the first ever transoceanic voyage under steam power. The holiday was created by the United States Congress on May 20, 1933.
Where is United States National Maritime Day?
Nationwide USA
Historical Events:
334 BC – The Macedonian army of Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of the Granicus
1455 – Opening battle in England’s 30-year War of the Roses. Richard of York takes St Albans, capturing King Henry VI
1570 – 1st atlas ‘Theatrum Orbis Terrarum’ (Theatre of the World), published by Abraham Ortelius in Antwerp with 70 maps
1819 – 1st steam propelled vessel to cross Atlantic (Savannah leaves Ga)
1826 – The HMS Beagle departs on its first voyage.
1840 – The transporting of British convicts to the New South Wales colony is abolished.
1849 – Abraham Lincoln patents a buoying device
1856 – Violence in Senate, SC rep Brooks used a cane on Mass Sen Sumner
1872 – Amnesty Act restores civil rights to Southerners (except for 500)
1892 – Dr Washington Sheffield invents toothpaste tube
1897 – The Blackwall Tunnel under the River Thames was officially opened
1906 – Wright Brothers patent an aeroplane
1915 – Lassen Peak erupts with a powerful force, and is the only mountain, other than Mount St. Helens, to erupt in the continental US during the 20th century.
1927 – 8.3 earthquake strikes Nan-Shan China, 200,000 killed
1933 – Loch Ness Monster is 1st reportedly sighted by John Mackay
1939 – Hitler & Benito Mussolini sign “Pact of Steel”
1947 – “Truman Doctrine” goes into effect, aiding Turkey & Greece
1960 – Virtually all coastal towns between 37th & 44th parallels severly damaged by tsunami that strikes Hilo, Hawaii at 01:04 AM
1972 – Ceylon becomes Republic of Sri Lanka as its constitution is ratified
1973 – President Nixon confesses his role in Watergate cover-up
1990 – Microsoft releases Windows 3.0
1990 – North & South Yemen merge to form Republic of Yemen