Destinations, Travel tips, Festivals and Public Holidays
Archive for August, 2009
Indonesia Independence Day 17 August 2009 Holiday
Aug 12th
Indonesia Independence Day Celebrations – 17 August 2009
HUT RI / Hari Ulang Tahun Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia Ke-64
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HUT RI 64 |
This coming Monday 17 August 2009, Indonesia is celebrating the 64th Independence Day. Indonesia Independence Day is observed to mark the Proclamation (Declaration) of Indonesian Independence on Friday, August 17, 1945. Prior to the proclamation, Indonesia had been colonized by the Portuguese, Dutch, and Japanese for over 300 years. |
What to expect?
Independence day is a huge celebration in Indonesia. Most businesses and offices are closed on the Independence day, but preparations are started 2-3 months before that. Business and locals are chirping in for activities with donations. Streets and building around the country are decorated with the ornaments such as Indonesian red-white flags and congratulatory banners.
Days around the festival, visitors can observe lots of interesting activities. In almost every villages, town and cities, you can watch sports competitions and free concerts. On the day itself, the main attractions are the town parades, with marching bands, decorated cars and bikes, barongs, and kuda lumpings.
For the locals, one of the most anticipated activity is the panjat pinang game. People groups into a team of 3-6 persons each, to attempt a climb of slippery poles for gifts and prizes on top of the pole. It’s really quite fun to watch.
Panjat Pinang
The Indonesian Independence proclamation text
in Indonesian
PROKLAMASI
Kami, bangsa Indonesia, dengan ini menjatakan kemerdekaan Indonesia.
Hal-hal jang mengenai pemindahan kekoeasaan d.l.l., diselenggarakan dengan tjara saksama dan dalam tempo jang sesingkat-singkatnja.
Djakarta, hari 17 boelan 8 tahoen 05
Atas nama bangsa Indonesia
–tanda tangan Soekarno/Hatta–
Soekarno – Hatta
English translation:
PROCLAMATION
WE THE PEOPLE OF INDONESIA HEREBY DECLARE THE INDEPENDENCE OF
INDONESIA. MATTERS WHICH CONCERN THE TRANSFER OF POWER AND
OTHER THINGS WILL BE EXECUTED BY CAREFUL MEANS AND IN THE
SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME.
DJAKARTA, 17 AUGUST 1945
IN THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE OF INDONESIA
SOEKARNO—HATTA
Hari Raya Puasa 21 September 2009 Holiday
Aug 8th
Hari Raya Puasa / Hari Raya Aid Il Fitrj falls on 20 September 2009. Due to 20 September 2009 is a Sunday, the holiday is substituted to 21 September 2009 Holiday.
Holiday date is based on Islamic Calendar, every thus year the date is different. Due to shorter year (with approximately 355 days) in Islamic calendar, generally every year the holiday will falls on earlier date than the year before.
This is slightly different from Chinese calendar. Eventhough both are using lunar (moon) movement for calculation, in Chinese lunar calendar there are leap years, where one of the month will be calculated twice. Example, this year 2009, in Chinese calendar the fifth month happen twice.
Hari Raya is the most important religious festival for Muslims around the world. It celebrates the end of Ramadan (or fasting month), signifying the triumph over evil.
After prayer at the mosque, people will pay visit to each other, especially more for young people to visit the elder. The common greeting is “Selamat Hari Raya” (Happy Eid) and “Mohon Maaf Zahir Batin” (I seek your forgiveness). Many also greet “Min Al Aidin Wa Al Faizin”. This last greeting, originated from Arabic words, was commonly thought to mean the same as “Mohon Maaf Zahir Batin”, but actually it has different meaning. Loosely translated, it means “People who return and people who are triumphant”.
In this region, Hari Raya Puasa is a public holiday celebrated in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Hong Kong School Holidays 2009-2010
Aug 7th
In Hong Kong, there are different School Terms & Holiday Dates between the public /government schools and the English School Foundation (ESF) schools.
Hong Kong English Schools Foundation school year starts in late August and consists of three, three-month terms ending in late June for the summer holiday:
* a one-week half-term holiday in the autumn term (October and November)
* a two-week holiday at Christmas (December and January)
* a one-week half-term holiday in the spring term (February)
* a two-week holiday for Easter (March and April)
* a six-week break at the end of the school year (end of June)
Hong Kong Schools Holidays 2009-2010 For English School Foundation
| Period | Event Type | Event Name |
| 29/06/2009 – 19/08/2009 | School Holiday | Summer Holidays |
| 18/08/2009 – 19/08/2009 | School Event | CPD Day |
| 20/08/2009 – 18/12/2009 | School Period | Autumn Term |
| 20/08/2009 | School Event | Autumn term begins |
| 01/10/2009 | Public Holiday | National Day |
| 03/10/2009 | Public Holiday | The day following Mid-Autumn Festival |
| 17/10/2009 – 26/10/2009 | School Holiday | Half Term Holiday |
| 26/10/2009 | Public Holiday | Chung Yeung Festival |
| 18/12/2009 | School Period | Autumn Term finishes |
| 19/12/2009 – 03/01/2010 | School Holiday | Christmas Holiday |
| 25/12/2009 | Public Holiday | Christmas Day |
| 26/12/2009 | Public Holiday | The day following Christmas Day |
| 04/01/2010 – 26/03/2010 | School Period | Spring Term |
| 04/01/2010 | School Event | Spring Term begins |
| 13/02/2010 – 21/02/2010 | School Holiday | Half term Holiday |
| 26/03/2010 | School Period | Spring Term finishes |
| 27/03/2010 – 11/04/2010 | School Holiday | Easter Holiday |
| 06/04/2010 | Public Holiday | The day following Ching Ming Festival |
| 12/04/2010 – 25/06/2010 | School Period | Summer Term |
| 25/06/2010 | School Period | Summer Term finishes |
10 August Singapore Holiday
Aug 7th
We got some questions from our readers: What Singapore holiday is 10 August 2009?
It is actually the 44th Singapore National Day, which falls on 9 August every year. However, since 9 August 2009 is a Sunday, official public holidays and school holidays for the National Day 2009 is substituted to Monday, 10 August 2009.
Check out also other Singapore Holidays 2009
France School Holidays 2010 – 2011
Aug 4th
France 2010-2011 School Terms and Holidays
by: Europe Travel Guide
ZONE A: Brittany, lower Normandy, Pays de la Loire, Lorraine, Rhône Alpes, Auvergne, Languedoc, Midi-Pyrenees
ZONE B: North east France (Picardy, Nord-Pas de Calais, Champagne), Alsace, Franche-Comté and Burgundy, the Centre region, Limousin and Poitou Charentes, Upper Normandy (the Rouen area)
ZONE C: Greater Paris, Aquitaine
| ZONE A | ZONE B | ZONE C | |
| Autumn term starts | Thursday 2nd September 2010 | ||
| Toussaint – half term holiday period | From midday Saturday 23rd October 2010 to Wednesday 3rd November 2010 inclusive |
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| Christmas holidays |
From midday Saturday 18th December 2010 to Sunday 2nd January 2011 inclusive |
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| Winter holiday | Saturday 26th February 2011 to Sunday 13th March 2011 |
Saturday 19th February 2011 to Sunday 6th March 2011 |
Saturday 12th February 2011 to Sunday 27th February 2011 |
| Spring holiday |
Saturday 23rd April 2011 to Sunday 8th May 2011 |
Saturday 16th April 2011 to Sunday 1st May 2011 |
Saturday 9th April 2011 to Sunday 25th April 2011 |
| Start of the summer holiday | Saturday 2nd July 2011 after classes | ||
France Public Holidays 2010 Calendar
Aug 4th
Public Holidays in France For Year 2010
by: Europe Travel Guide
Here we compile for you the list of holidays in France. Take note that, in France only labour day (May 1st) is an official public holiday by statute. The rest of the holidays are granted by convention collective (agreement between employers’ and employees’ unions) or by agreement of the employer. Most of the holidays in France are Christian holidays.
In addition to public holidays, French school holidays happen four times each year.
Here are the dates of French public holidays in year 2010:
- Friday, 1 January 2010 – New Year’s Day (Jour de l’An).
- Sunday, 4 April 2010 – Easter (Pâques).
- Monday, 5 April 2010 – Easter Monday (Lundi de Pâques).
- Saturday, 1 May 2010 – Labour Day (Fête du Travail)
- Saturday, 8 May 2010 – VE Day 2010 – WWII Victory Day (Fête de la Victoire 1945).
- Thursday, 13 May 2010 – Ascension Day (Ascension catholique).
- Sunday, 23 May 2010 – Whit Sunday (Pentecôte).
- Monday, 24 May 2010 – Whit Monday (Lundi de Pentecôte).
- Wednesday, 14 July 2010 – Bastille Day (Fête nationale).
- Sunday, 15 August 2010 – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Assomption).
- Monday, 1 November 2010 – All Saints’ Day (Toussaint).
- Thursday, 11 November 2010 – Armistice Day (Armistice 1918).
- Saturday, 25 December 2010 – Christmas Day (Noël).
France School Holidays 2009 – 2010
Aug 4th
France 2009-2010 School Terms and Holidays
ZONE A: Brittany, lower Normandy, Pays de la Loire, Lorraine, Rhône Alpes, Auvergne, Languedoc, Midi-Pyrenees
ZONE B: North east France (Picardy, Nord-Pas de Calais, Champagne), Alsace, Franche-Comté and Burgundy, the Centre region, Limousin and Poitou Charentes, Upper Normandy (the Rouen area)
ZONE C: Greater Paris, Aquitaine
| ZONE A | ZONE B | ZONE C | |
| Autumn Term Starts | Wed, 2 September 2009 | ||
| Toussaint – Half Term Holiday Period | From midday Sat, 24 October 2009 to Wed, 4 November 2009 | ||
| Christmas Holidays | From midday Sat, 19 December 2009 to Sun, 3 January 2010 | ||
| Winter Holiday | Sat, 13 February 2010 to Sun, 28 February 2010 | Sat, 6 February 2010 to Sun, 21 February 2010 | Sat, 20 February 2010 to Sun, 7 March 2010 |
| Spring Holiday | Sat, 10 April 2010 to Sun, 25 April 2010 | Sat, 3 April 2010 to Sun, 18 April 2010 | Sat, 17 April 2010 to Sun, 3 May 2010 |
| Start of The Summer Holiday | Fri, 2 July 2010 after classes | ||
UK Public Holidays 2010 Calendar
Aug 3rd
In the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, workers are not automatically entitled to time off on a public holiday. Time off can be provided for in an employment agreement or by expending annual leave.
Owing to the fact that England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are not formal subdivisions of the United Kingdom, each country have different set of public holidays (more commonly called as bank holidays in UK).
Here is a list of Bank Holidays dates for Year 2010 observed in the countries of the United Kingdom
England and Wales 2010 Public Holidays
Friday, 1 January 2010 – New Year’s Day
Friday, 2 April 2010 – Good Friday
Monday, 5 April 2010 – Easter Monday
Monday, 3 May 2010 – May Day Bank Holiday
Monday, 31 May 2010 – Spring Bank Holiday
Monday, 30 August 2010 – Summer Bank Holiday
^Monday, 27 December 2010 – Christmas Day
^Tuesday, 28 December 2010 – Boxing Day
Northern Ireland 2010 Public Holidays
Friday, 1 January 2010 – New Year’s Day
Wednesday, 17 March 2010 – St Patrick’s Day
Friday, 2 April 2010 – Good Friday
Monday, 5 April 2010 – Easter Monday
Monday, 3 May 2010 – May Day Bank Holiday
Monday, 31 May 2010 – Spring Bank Holiday
Monday, 12 July 2010 – Bank Holiday in Lieu of Battle of the Boyne 2010
Monday, 30 August 2010 – Summer Bank Holiday
^Monday, 27 December 2010 – Christmas Day
^Tuesday, 28 December 2010 – Boxing Day / St. Stephen’s Day
Scotland 2010 Public Holidays
Friday, 1 January 2010 – New Year’s Day
*Monday, 4 January 2010 – Second of January
Friday, 2 April 2010 – Good Friday
Monday, 3 May 2010 – May Day Bank Holiday
Monday, 31 May 2010 – Spring Bank Holiday
Monday, 2 August 2010 – Summer Bank Holiday
Tuesday, 30 November 2010 – St. Andrew’s Day
^Monday, 27 December 2010 – Christmas Day
^Tuesday, 28 December 2010 – Boxing Day
^27th December and 28th December substitute Bank Holiday in lieu of 25th December and 26th December because they fall at the weekend
*4th January substitute Bank Holiday in lieu of 2nd January because 2nd January falls at the weekend
