IOTD

 

Calendar day; February 20, 2015

Friday, the 20th of February, 2015 is the 51st day in 2015 and in the 8th calendar week.

General Events:

World Day of Social Justice
February 20, 2015 in the World

The United Nations’ (UN) World Day of Social Justice is annually observed on February 20 to encourage people to look at how social justice affects poverty eradication. It also focuses on the goal of achieving full employment and support for social integration.

The World Summit for Social Development was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1995 and resulted in the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action. At this summit, more than 100 political leaders pledged to make the conquest of poverty and full employment, as well as stable, safe and just societies, their overriding objectives. They also agreed on the need to put people at the center of development plans.

Nearly 10 years later, the UN’s member states reviewed the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action when they gathered at a session of the Commission for Social Development in New York in February 2005. They also agreed to commit to advance social development. On November 26, 2007, the UN General Assembly named February 20 as the annual World Day of Social Justice. The day was scheduled to be first observed in 2009.

2015 Theme: Ending human trafficking and forced labour: http://www.un.org/en/events/socialjusticeday/

Where is World Day of Social Justice?
Worldwide

Love Your Pet Day
February 20, 2015 in the World

Love Your Pet Day takes place on February 20, 2015. If you love your pet, spend extra time with it on that day. Other ideas are: make it new toys, give it extra attention, let it sleep alongside you or give it a special treat.

Keeping animals as pets may become detrimental to their health if certain requirements are not kept. An important issue is inappropriate feeding, which may produce clinical effects (like the consumption of chocolate. Passive smoking is dangerous for pets. Researchers have found that exposure to tobacco smoke has been associated with certain cancers in dogs and cats and allergies in dogs.

In some cases pets may also provide their owners with benefits, such as providing companionship to elderly adults who do not have adequate social interaction with other people. Walking a dog can provide both the owner and the dog with exercise, fresh air, and social interaction.

Where is the event?
Worldwide

Northern Hemisphere Hoodie Hoo
February 20, 2015 in the Northern Hemisphere

On this winter day, people go out at noon, wave their hands over their heads and chant “Hoodie-Hoo”.

It is a day to chase away winter blahs, and bring in spring. After all, everyone in the northern hemisphere are sick and tired of winter at this point and a little crazy being cooped up inside all winter and not seeing the sun.

Where is the event?
Worldwide Northern Hemisphere

National Cherry Pie Day
February 20, 2015 in the USA

Celebrated annually on February 20th, it is National Cherry Pie Day.  Today is a day for all cherry pie lovers to eat their favorite pie for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner.

According to the American Pie Council, pie came to America with the first English settlers. The early colonists cooked their pies in long narrow pans calling them “coffins” like the crust in England. As in the Roman times, the early American pie crusts often were not eaten, but simply designed to hold the filling during baking. It was during the American Revolution that the term crust was used instead of “coffyn”.

In the United States, cherry pie is often referred to as a “great American dish”, the most popular fruit pie in the country after apple pie.

Where is the event?
Nationwide USA

Historical Events on 20th February:

1472 – Orkney and Shetland are left by Norway to Scotland, due to a dowry payment.

1673 – 1st recorded wine auction held (London)

1809 – US Supreme Court rules federal government power greater than any state

1831 – Polish revolutionaries defeat Russians in battle of Growchow

1835 – Concepcion, Chile, destroyed by earthquake; 5,000 die

1872 – Hydraulic electric elevator patented by Cyrus Baldwin

1890 – Amsterdam Theater destroyed by fire

1917 – Ammunition ship explodes in Archangel harbour, about 1,500 die

1922 – Vilinus, Lithuania, agrees to separate from Poland

1929 – American Samoa organizes as territory of US

1941 – 1st transport of Jews to concentration camps leave Plotsk Poland

1944 – Batman & Robin comic strip premieres in newspapers

1947 – Chemical mixing error causes explosion that destroys 42 blocks in LA

1947 – State of Prussia ceases to exist

1959 – The Avro Arrow program to design and manufacture supersonic jet fighters in Canada is cancelled by the Diefenbaker government amid much political debate.

1988 – 500 die in heavy rains in Rio de Janeiro Brazil

2005 – Spain becomes the first country to vote in a referendum on ratification of the proposed Constitution of the European Union, passing it by a substantial margin, but on a low turnout.