Juan Bosch's Birth Anniversary

 

Juan Emilio Bosch y Gaviño, born on 30 June 1909, in La Vega, Dominican Republic, also known as El Profesor (Spanish for the Teacher), was a Dominican politician, historian, writer of short stories and novels, essayist, educator, and the first democratically elected president of the Dominican Republic for seven months in 1963.

Previously he had been the leader of the Dominican opposition in exile to the dictatorial regime of Rafael Trujillo for over 25 years. He is remembered as an honest politician and regarded as one of the most prominent writers in Dominican literature. He helped found the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) in 1939, and left it in 1973 to found the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD).

Elizabeth Monroe's Birth Anniversary

 

Elizabeth Monroe, born on 30 June 1768, in New York, New York, United States, was an American first lady (1817–25), the wife of James Monroe, fifth president of the United States. Although she was noted for her beauty and elegance, her aloofness made her unpopular.

Elizabeth Monroe is best remembered for her role in choosing new furniture for the presidential mansion when it was rebuilt in 1817 (after its destruction by the British during the War of 1812). Elizabeth had developed a great appreciation for French style and workmanship, and she and the president instructed an agent in Paris to spend a special congressional appropriation there. When the White House was refurbished in the early 1960s, these purchases were considered some of its finest holdings.

 

Día del Ejército (Guatemala)

 

Army Day, or ‘Día del Ejército’ commemorates all of the fallen soldiers that have served in the Guatemalan armed forces. It also celebrates the anniversary of an important turning point in Guatemalan history, the Liberal Revolution.

History of Army Day in Guatemala

In 1871, the ruler of Guatemala was President Vincente Cerna, who carried out much of the similar policies as his conservative predecessor, Rafael Carrera. Both of these men were considered to be dictators by many Guatemalans. The people were finally pushed to their limit when Marshal Serapio Cruz, an outspoken opposer of the Cerna regime, was assassinated. Generals Justo Rufino Barrios and Miguel García Granados lead soldiers into the capital, Guatemala City, and defeated Cerna’s forces on June 29th, 1871. The next day, Cerna fled to Honduras and the two generals entered the presidential palace.

International Day of Parliamentarism

The International Day of Parliamentarism is celebrated every year on 30 June, the date in 1889 on which the IPU was founded. The Day was established in 2018 through a United Nations General Assembly Resolution.

Instituting an international day for parliaments is particularly important at this critical time for parliamentary democracy, when people are losing trust in political institutions and democracy itself is facing challenges from populist and nationalist movements. If democracy is to thrive, then parliaments, as the cornerstone of functioning democracies, need to be strong, transparent, accountable and representative.

The International Day of Parliamentarism is a time to review the progress that parliaments have made in achieving some key goals to be more representative and move with the times, including carrying out self-assessments, working to include more women and young MPs, and adapting to new technologies.