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International Youth Day is commemorated every year on 12 August, bringing youth issues to the attention of the international community and celebrating the potential of youth as partners in today’s global society.
The idea for International Youth Day was proposed in 1991 by the young people who were gathered in Vienna, Austria, for the first session of the World Youth Forum of the United Nations System. The Forum recommended that an International Youth Day be declared, especially for fund-raising and promotional purposes, to support the United Nations Youth Fund in partnership with youth organizations.
In 1998, a resolution proclaiming 12 August as International Youth Day was adopted by the first session of the the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth , which was hosted by the Government of Portugal in cooperation with the United Nations (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998). That recommendation was subsequently endorsed by the fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly, in its resolution A/RES/54/120 entitled "Policies and programmes involving youth" (17 December 1999).
The Assembly recommended that public information activities be organized to support the Day as a way to promote better awareness of the World Programme of Action for Youth , adopted by the General Assembly in 1996.
Security Council Resolution 2250 (9 December 2015 ) on Youth, Peace and Security represents an unprecedented acknowledgement of the urgent need to engage young peacebuilders in promoting peace and countering extremism, and clearly positions youth as important partners in the global efforts.
How to Celebrate International Youth Day:
There are plenty of ways to enjoy some fun in the sun while making sure that you’re doing your part to help the environment. Here are a few Twinkl ideas to celebrate International Youth Day:
Host a Fun Run in your community - One of the key points to International Youth Day is social inclusion and the mental well-being of the youth. Hosting a community Fun Run is a great way to boost these initiatives and you can also donate the proceeds to a worthy cause.
Attend an International Youth Day event - Youth Day events are always inspiring to go to. You get to learn more from keynote speakers and meet different people as well. Above the great food and the entertainment, you’re sure to enjoy from these events, you also learn how to become a better member of your community.
Volunteer at a charity or worthy organization - Giving back is a great accomplishment in itself, whether you’re volunteering at your local church, becoming a mentor to younger individuals, or donating your time and old belongings at a children’s home, there’s always a sense of pride in giving back to those in need.
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Ullambana, also called Obon is a Buddhist event celebrated every year on the 15th day of the seventh month of the Lunar Calendar. Ullambana is also known as the “Ghost Festival,” during which people of the Buddhist faith celebrate their dead loved ones, as it is believed that their spirits return to the land of the living for a day. The day is celebrated in different styles and traditions according to the norms of the local areas, but the principal belief behind the festival remains the same and so you may get to see a variety of ways to celebrate Ullambana.
In Japan four important customs are observed during Obon. The festivities include Obon Iri where people set up lanterns. This is followed by Mukaebi which refers to the welcoming fire that guides ancestors home. Another ritual is the ceremonial service for the deceased known as Obon Ake or Okuribon and finally, Okuribi which is the send-off ritual where people float lanterns or release them towards the sky.
The festival has special significance in Japanese culture and the Japanese folks celebrate it with great fervor engaging in dance, music events, cooking, and lighting bonfires.
How people celebrate Ullambana/Obon:
Celebrate with parents: The most important thing about this festival is to show reverence to ones parents by being kind towards them & spending time with them.
Decorate homes : People decorate their homes and light up the street to guide the spirits towards their house. It is believed that on this day, the spirits are allowed to come back to the living realm and collect the offerings from the living.
Give away food to the needy: Spirits do not eat food, but they get the reward of the offering made by their living loved ones when they feed the poor. So people give away lots of food to the needy and the poor so that the spirits can claim their prayers.
Visit a grave: Visiting ancestors’ graves and washing the tombstone & offer prayers to the deceased.
Groove to the beats of Taiko drum: In Japan people dance the traditional folk dance, Bon Odori.
Float a lantern: One of the common rituals during Obon is to release sky lanterns or float lanterns down a river. It is believed that these lanterns guide the spirits to the other realm. As they eventually burn out, they are viewed as a send-off of these loved spirits.
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Independence Day is celebrated annually on August 15 as a public holiday in India commemorating the nation's independence from the United Kingdom on August 15, 1947, the day when the provisions of the Indian Independence Act, which transferred legislative sovereignty to the Indian Constituent Assembly, came into effect.
The holiday carries tremendous weight in the list of India's national days, since it reminds every Indian about the dawn of a new beginning — the beginning of an era of deliverance from the clutches of British colonialism of more than 200 years. India's struggle to gain independence and freedom was a long and hard-fought one. Many freedom-fighters sacrificed much and who laid down their lives on the line. Independence coincided with the partition of India in which British India was divided into the Dominions of India and Pakistan.
The partition of British India was accompanied by violent riots and mass casualties, and the displacement of nearly 15 million people due to religious violence. On August 15, 1947, the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru raised the Indian national flag above the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort in Delhi.
Independence Day is one of one of the three Indian National holidays that are observed in all Indian states and union territories (the other two being the Republic Day on January 26 and Mahatma Gandhi's birthday on October 2). On the eve of Independence Day, the President of India delivers the "Address to the Nation". On August 15, the Prime Minister hoists the Indian flag on the ramparts of the historical site of Red Fort in Delhi. In his speech, the Prime Minister highlights the past year's achievements, raises important issues and calls for further development. He pays tribute to the leaders of the Indian independence movement. The Indian national anthem, "Jana Gana Mana," is sung. The speech is followed by a march past of divisions of the Indian Armed Forces and paramilitary forces. Parades and pageants showcase scenes from the independence struggle and India's diverse cultural traditions.
How to Celebrate India Independence Day:
Attend a flag hoisting and ceremony near you. This year will be the 79th Indepdence Day and the India Association of Greater Boston (IAGB) usually hosts flag raisings in the Boston area in what are considered to be "anchor communities." Westford is one of those anchor communities.
Westford India Flag Raising & Ceremony 2026 (TBD)
Onam is the biggest festival in the Indian state of Kerala & falls during the Malayali month of Chingam (Aug - Sep) and marks the homecoming of legendary King Mahabali. Carnival of Onam lasts for ten days and brings out the best of Kerala culture and tradition. Intricately decorated pookalam, ambrosial Onasadya, breathtaking Snake Boat Race and exotic kaikottikali dance are some of the most remarkable features of Onam - the harvest festival in Kerala.
While predominantly a Kerala festival, regions in other states, including Uttar Pradesh (Balia and Baway), Gujarat (Bharuch), and Maharashtra also honor its significance.
As with many other Hindu holidays, there are multiple legends of why a particular celebration occurs and what the religious significance is. The most common is the story of King Mahabali’s devotion and selflessness.
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On August 26, we will celebrate Women’s Equality Day and commemorate the enactment of the 19th Amendment, which said, among other things, that “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex”. This historic event was the culmination of the decades-long struggle of courageous suffragists determined to shape the course of our Republic. On Women's Equality Day, we commemorate the efforts of those groundbreaking activists, celebrate the remarkable achievements of women, and reaffirm our commitment to equality under the law.
Despite the fact that the right to vote, the cornerstone of democracy, belongs to all citizens, this right was not originally afforded to women. In the early 19th century, American women, who generally could not inherit property and made half of a man's wages in any available jobs, began organizing to demand political rights and representation.
The Women's Suffrage movement was successful because a broad and diverse group of women and men worked together to promote change. They demanded that rules written by men and for men be reformed to include women. Women's rights’ groups pointed out the hypocrisy of fighting for democracy in Europe while denying it to half of the American citizenry.
Although the 19th Amendment was ratified on August 18th, 1920, it was not until its certification by proclamation – meaning that it had been ratified by a two-thirds majority of states - a week later, on August 26, that it was officially enacted. Women’s Equality Day reminds us of the hurdles overcome by the heroic women who faced violence and discrimination in their efforts to continuously advance the Women's Movement.
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Mawlid (Eid-e-Milad un-Nabi)
August 25 to 26, 2026 ISLAMIC
Mawlid (Eid-e-Milad un-Nabi)
August 25 to 26, 2026 ISLAMIC
Ganesh Chaturthi (gu-Ne-sh cha-tur-thee) also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesh. This 10-day festival usually falls in August or September. Ganesha is the God of wisdom, intellect, prosperity, good fortune, and the remover of obstacles. Born to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, his name derives from ‘gana’ meaning common people and so his name translates to ‘Lord of the People’. Many believe that Lord Ganesh brings order to this universe and worship him before embarking on a new endeavor, intellectual journey, or business enterprise. Therefore, it is common to see images or statues of him in these places.
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Ganesh Chaturthi is a 10-day festival that begins on the Chaturthi (4th day) of Bhadrapada month in the Hindu Calendar. This usually falls in August or September in the Gregorian calendar.
Ganesha murtis (idols) are installed on temporary platforms at local temples, communities and decorated with garlands and flowers. Smaller Ganesha murtis are also installed in personal Mandirs (temples) at devotees’ homes.
Ganesha has a sweet tooth so people offer Modaks which are conical shaped rice dumplings stuffed with grated coconut and jaggery. Other offerings include Sundal (chickpeas garnished with coconut, chillies and mustard), Appam and other sweets.
Ganesha murthis are then taken on public processions amid festivities, chanting and dancing. On the 10th day, devotees bid farewell to Ganesha with deep respect followed by Ganapati Visarjan which is the immersion of the Ganesha murti in a nearby water body. People chant in the Marathi language “Ganapati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Laukariya” which means “Goodbye Lord Ganapati, please return quickly next year”. The chant is in honor of the 4th century saint Morya Gosavi who was an ardent Ganesha devotee.
Ganesha is the younger son of Shiva and Parvati. He has an elephant head. There is a lot of symbolism in Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism). The elephant head which is the largest head among land animals represents the vast intellect (Buddhi) of Ganesha.
Ganesha is also called Vigneshwara which means the Remover of obstacles. People pray to Ganesha before they embark on any new activity or start of any ceremony to ward off difficulties and achieve success.
Ganesh Chaturthi has been used to revive patriotic sentiments in India by various Indian leaders. In 1893, Indian freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak (also known as Lokamanya Tilak) made the festival a community celebration thereby allowing people to gather in public spaces to workaround the British ban on large gatherings.
Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) has influenced many neighboring countries including East Asia and SouthEast Asia due to trade and cultural contact. Ganesha is worshiped in other religions such as Buddhism and Jainism. Ganesha is worshiped in slightly different forms across the globe. He is Kangiten or Shoten in Japan, Ts’ogsbdag in Tibet, Phra Phikanet in Thailand, Maha-Pienne in Myanmar, Totkharour Khagan in Mongolia, Prah Kenes in Cambodia.
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Raksha Bandhan (ruk-SHA-bun-dhun) is celebrated in August and is a holiday which celebrates sibling bonds. Sisters tie a decorative, sacred thread or amulet called a rakhi on the right wrist of their brothers (often including distant cousins and friends considered honorary brothers) followed by prayers for their protection and well-being while sweets are exchanged. In return, brothers give their sisters small tokens or gifts of appreciation. Today, Raksha Bandhan has evolved into a holiday empowering significant relationships between cousins, same-sex siblings, and friends.
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-Originating from Sanskrit, the term Raksha Bandhan translates as “bond of protection”.
-Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on Shravana Purnima which is the full moon day of the Shravana month in the Hindu calendar. Shravana is the fifth lunar month in Hindu calendar (July-August).
-The origin of this festival can be attributed to a very ancient legend where Sachi, wife of Indra (the king of gods), ties a sacred thread, called Rakhi (Raa-khee), on Indra’s wrist. In the war that followed with the demons, Indra achieved victory over the demons.
-Another legend which is related to Rakhi mentions that Lord Yama, the God of death, blessed his sister and promised that all sisters tying Rakhi on their brother’s wrist on the auspicious day of Shravana Purnima would have his blessings and lead a long life.
-One of the most popular folklore is about when Lord Krishna cut his finger. Draupadi, wife of the Pandavas (the five brothers who ruled the city), who considered Krishna to be like a brother, immediately tore off a piece of her sari and tied the cloth around his bleeding finger.
-Even though Raksha Bandhan is said to have originated with a wife tying the “Rakhi” as a bond of protection on her husband’s wrist it later evolved to a brother-sister festival where the sister ties this sacred thread on her brother’s wrist.
- It has further evolved in modern times where friends, sisters or anyone can tie this sacred thread to a loved one to create a bond of protection and love.
- Raksha Bandhan is also celebrated in South Asia, and in other parts of the world significantly influenced by Hindu culture.In Nepal, Raksha Bandhan is referred to as Janai Purnima or Rishitarpani, and involves a sacred thread ceremony. It is observed by both Hindus and Buddhists of Nepal. The Hindu men change the thread they wear around their chests (janai), while in some parts of Nepal girls and women tie rakhi on their brother's wrists.
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