Music for the holiday season

more later…

xoxo

IOTD

Calendar day; December 10, 2014

Wednesday, the 10th of December, 2014 is the 344th day in 2014 and in the 50th calendar week.

General Events:

Human Rights Day
December 10, 2014 in the World

Human Rights Day is celebrated on December 10, 2014. The date was chosen to honor the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption and proclamation on 10 December 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the first global enunciation of human rights and one of the first major achievements of the new United Nations.

Human Rights Day is normally marked both by high-level political conferences and meetings and by cultural events and exhibitions dealing with human rights issues. In addition, it is traditionally on 10 December that the five-yearly United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights and Nobel Peace Prize are awarded. Many governmental and nongovernmental organizations active in the human rights field also schedule special events to commemorate the day, as do many civil and social-cause organisations.

The Declaration of Human Rights arose directly from the experience of the Second World War and represents the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled. It consists of 30 articles which have been elaborated in subsequent international treaties, regional human rights instruments, national constitutions and laws. The Guinness Book of Records describes the UDHR as the “Most Translated Document” in the world.

While not a treaty itself, the Declaration of Human Rights was explicitly adopted for the purpose of defining the meaning of the words “fundamental freedoms” and “human rights” appearing in the United Nations Charter, which is binding on all member states. For this reason the Universal Declaration is a fundamental constitutive document of the United Nations. Many international lawyers, in addition, believe that the Declaration forms part of customary international law[ and is a powerful tool in applying diplomatic and moral pressure to governments that violate any of its articles.

In South Africa, Human Rights Day is celebrated on 21 March, in remembrance of the Sharpeville massacre which took place on 21 March 1960. This massacre occurred as a result of protests against the Apartheid regime in South Africa.

This year’s slogan, Human Rights 365, encompasses the idea that every day is Human Rights Day:
http://www.un.org/en/events/humanrightsday/

Where is Human Rights Day?
Worldwide

Dewey Decimal System Day
December 10, 2014 in the World

December 10, 1851 is the birthday of Melvil Dewey (1851-1931) inventor of the Dewey Decimal system of library classification, the world’s most widely used library classification system.

Where is Dewey Decimal System Day?
Worldwide

Historical Events on 10th December:

1041 – Michael IV, Paphlagonicus, Byzantium Emperor dies of results of dropsy. His wife Empress Zoe elevates her adoptive son to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael V.

1520 – Martin Luther publicly burned papal edict demands he recant

1684 – Isaac Newton’s derivation of Kepler’s laws from his theory of gravity, contained in the paper De motu corporum in gyrum, is read to the Royal Society by Edmund Halley.

1799 – Metric system adopted in France, first country to do so

1868 – The first traffic lights are installed outside the Palace of Westminster in London. Resembling railway signals, they use semaphore arms and are illuminated at night by red and green gas lamps.

1869 – Women suffrage (right to vote) granted in Wyoming Territory (US 1st)

1898 – Spanish-American War ends; US acquires Philippines, PR & Guam

1902 – Women are given the right to vote in Tasmania.

1907 – The worst night of the Brown Dog riots in London, when 1,000 medical students clash with 400 police officers over the existence of a memorial for animals who have been vivisected.

1936 – Edward VIII signs Instrument of Abdication, giving up British throne to marry Wallis Simpson

1948 – UN General Assembly adopts Universal Declaration of Human Rights

1963 – Zanzibar gains independenence from Great Britain

1983 – Raul Alfonsin inaugurated as Argentina’s 1st civilian president

1984 – 1st “planet” outside our solar system discovered

1994 – European Campaign against Racism “All different, All equal” begins