Arrival of Indentured Labourers in Mauritius in 1834

On November 2nd, Mauritius commemorates the Arrival of Indentured Labourers, a significant national public holiday that marks the beginning of large-scale Indian immigration to the island. 

On this date in 1834, the British ship Atlas arrived in Port Louis carrying the first batch of 36 Indian indentured workers (known as "girmitiyas") from Kolkata, India, to work on the sugar plantations following the abolition of slavery. This event fundamentally shaped the country's demographics and cultural identity, as people of Indian origin now comprise over 68% of the Mauritian population.

All Saints' Day

All Saints' Day is a Christian feast celebrated on November 1st in Western Christianity to honour all saints, both known and unknown. Following All Hallows' Eve (Halloween) and preceding All Souls' Day, it is part of a three-day observance known as Allhallowtide dedicated to remembering the dead. 

World Cities Day

 

World Cities Day is an annual United Nations observance day held on 31 October. The global observance, first held in 2014, is organized by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) in coordination with each year's selected host city.

World Cities Day was established on 27 December 2013 by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution A/RES/68/239, in which the General Assembly "decides to designate 31 October, beginning in 2014, as World Cities Day, invites States, the United Nations system, in particular UN-Habitat, relevant international organizations, civil society and all relevant stakeholders to observe and raise awareness of the Day". The first World Cities Day was held in October 2014.

A legacy of Expo 2010 Shanghai China, World Cities Day aims to promote the international community's interest in global urbanization, push forward cooperation among countries in meeting opportunities and addressing challenges of urbanization, and contributing to sustainable urban development around the world. The observance day ties in with Sustainable Development Goal 11, to make cities "inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable".

The general theme of World Cities Day is Better City, Better Life, while each year a different sub-theme and a location for its global observance is selected, to either promote successes of urbanization, or address specific challenges resulting from urbanization.

 

International Translation Day

 

International Translation Day is an international day recognizing translation professionals. It is celebrated every year on 30 September, which is the day of the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator who is considered the patron saint of translators.  

United Nations resolution

On 24 May 2017, the United Nations General Assembly passed resolution 71/288 declaring September 30 International Translation Day, recognizing the role of professional translation in connecting nations. The draft resolution A/71/L.68 was signed by eleven countries: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Paraguay, Qatar, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Vietnam. In addition to the International Federation of Translators, the adoption of the resolution was advocated for by several other organizations, including International Association of Conference Interpreters, Critical Link International, International Association of Professional Translators and Interpreters, Red T, World Association of Sign Language Interpreters.

The United Nations puts on an annual St. Jerome Translation Contest for translations in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish, and German.

Turkish Republic Anniversary

 

Republic Day (Turkish:Cumhuriyet Bayramı) is a public holiday in Turkey commemorating the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey, on 29 October 1923. The annual celebrations start at 1:00 pm on 28 October and continue for 35 hours.

Background

The holiday commemorates the events of 29 October 1923, when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk declared that Turkey was henceforth a republic. Turkey had de facto been a republic since 23 April 1920, the date of the establishment of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi), but the official confirmation of this fact came three-and-a-half years later. On 29 October 1923, the status of the nation as a republic was declared and its official name was proclaimed to be Türkiye Cumhuriyeti ("the Republic of Turkey"). After that, a vote was held in the Grand National Assembly, and Atatürk was elected as the first President of the Republic of Turkey, keeping his position until his death.

The official dedication of the Statue of Liberty in 1886

On 28 October 1886, the Statue of Liberty was officially dedicated in New York in New York Harbour by Stephen Grover Cleveland, president of the United States. This event marked the official unveiling of the gift from France, celebrated with a dedication ceremony and a naval parade. The statue is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy, officially named “Liberty Enlightening the World”.

 

Arvind N. Mafatlal's Birth Anniversary

 

Arvind N. Mafatlal, born on 27 October 1923, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, was a prominent Indian industrialist, philanthropist, and the patriarch of the Arvind Mafatlal Group. Under his leadership, the group grew from a textile company into a diversified conglomerate involved in chemicals and petrochemicals. 

Key facts about Arvind Mafatlal:

·  Business transformation: Mafatlal joined the family business, founded by his grandfather Gagalbhai Mafatlal, in 1954. He strategically diversified the group beyond its core textile business into petrochemicals by creating India's first integrated petrochemical complex. This included forming major joint ventures with international companies such as Royal Dutch Shell and Hoechst AG.

·   Visionary leadership: During India's post-independence era, he was celebrated as a key business leader. He steered the Mafatlal Group into becoming one of the country's largest conglomerates, often ranked after the Tata and Birla groups.

·   Philanthropy and social reform: Mafatlal was deeply committed to social causes, focusing on rural upliftment, healthcare, and education. He was the Chairman of the Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation (BAIF), which used modern technology to improve the lives of rural and tribal populations.