nPosted on September 7, 2020
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Key Points
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nThe South Pacific island nation of Fiji was ruled by Great Britain for about a century, but it became an independent nation in 1970. Unfortunately, the newly independent government was not a paragon of democracy: there were a series of coups, a military government, and finally – on this date in 2013 – adopted a new constitution and, about a year later – held a democratic election.
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nI noticed that this year’s Constitution Day focuses on a right enshrined in Fiji’s constitution: the right to health. Because of COVID-19, the Fijian government started a contest for students about how Fijians can best ensure the health of themselves and their countrymen. I thought it was an essay contest, but it turns out that students can answer with an essay OR a poem OR a story OR even a Tik-Tok video!
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nDid you know…?
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nBecause the International Date Line runs through the Fijian island of Tavenui, you can stand with one foot in one day, and the other foot in the day before! Weird!
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| Notice that the sign reads “Today” and “Yesterday.” |
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nAlthough Fiji is made up of 333 islands (with 110 being inhabited), the land surface is smaller than the small U.S. state of New Jersey.
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The water surface, of course, is a LOT larger! And beautiful!
The water surface, of course, is a LOT larger! And beautiful!
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nFiji can boast some very nice coral reefs and more than 1,500 species of sea life.
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nAlso on this date:
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nGrandma Moses Day
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nLusaka Agreement Day in Mozambique
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nGeologist Ferdinand Hayden’s birthday
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nBrazil’s Independence Day
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nSalami Day
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nBirthday of Queen Elizabeth I
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nNeither Snow Nor Rain Day
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nBirthdays of Canadian Supreme Court trailblazers
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nLabor Day in the U.S.
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n(first Monday in September)
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nGreat Bathtub Race in Nome, Alaska
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n(first Monday in September)
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nPlan ahead:
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Check out my Pinterest boards for:
Check out my Pinterest boards for:
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- September holidays
- September birthdays
- Historical anniversaries in September
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nAnd here are my Pinterest boards for:
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