Holidays Calendar for May 25, 2017
Africa Day / African Liberation Day
Africa Day and African Liberation Day are celebrated on May 25. These two holidays currently commemorate the same event, the establishment of the Organization of African Unity. May 25 it celebrated as a public holiday in some African countries.
Jordan celebrates its Independence Day on May 25. On this day in 1946, it became an independent sovereign state, following the end of the British mandate granted by the League of Nations.
Liberation Day, also known as South Liberation Day or Liberation and Resistance Day, is a Lebanese holiday that commemorates the withdrawal of the Israeli army from South Lebanon in 2000. It is celebrated annually on May 25.
Day of the First National Government is an Argentine public holiday celebrated on May 25. It commemorates the May Revolution of 1810 and the establishment of the country's first patriotic government named the Primera Junta.
Eastern Christianity celebrates Ascension Day on the 40th day after Easter. The holiday
Ascension Day in Western Christianity
The Feast of the Ascension (also known as Ascension Day or Ascension Thursday) is celebrated 39 days after Easter. It commemorates the Ascension of Jesus into heaven. In some countries, Ascension Day is a public holiday.
The Feast of the Ascension is one of the ecumenical (universally celebrated) feasts of Christian churches. In the Armenian Apostolic Church it is also known as the Feast of Holy Ascension or Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
World Thyroid Day is an annual awareness day that was established in 2008 during the congress of the European Thyroid Association (ETA). It focuses on increasing awareness of thyroid health and educating about prevention and treatment of thyroid diseases.
Every year hundreds of children are abducted, and only few of them are recovered. International Missing Children's Day, that is annually observed on May 25, raises public awareness about the missing children and spreads message of hope among their families.
International Plastic Free Day is observed annually on May 25. Its main goals are to raise awareness of plastic pollution and encourage people to give up single-use plastic at least for one day.
International Skin Pigmentation Day is observed annually on May 25. It was created to raise awareness of hyperpigmentation and educate the general public on its causes and the methods of alleviating skin pigmentation conditions.
World Tarot Day is observed annually on May 25. It was created to dispel the negative stereotypes and misinformation surrounding tarot card readings and unite tarot card readers from around the globe to celebrate this art of divination and spiritual guidance.
World Catholic Education Day, also known as World Day of Catholic Education, is observed annually 40 days after Easter, coinciding with the Feast of Ascension. It was established in 2022 by the Congress of the International Office of Catholic Education (Office International de l’Enseignement Catholique, OIEC).
Standardization and Metrology Employees Day is an official professional holiday in Tajikistan, celebrated annually on May 25. Like the rest of the country’s professional observances, it was established by the Law of the Republic of Tajikistan “On Holidays”.
May 25 is National Tap Dance Day in the USA. This day celebrates tap dancing as an American art form.
On May 25, Peruvians celebrate an unusual and joyful holiday named Clown Day. Its main highlight is the traditional parade featuring thousands of professional clowns from all other the country. They march through the historical center of Lima, spreading joy and happiness wherever they go.
May 25 is National Missing Children's Day in the United States; it falls on the same date as International Missing Children's Day. The day was proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan in 1983 and has been celebrated annually ever since.
Chuquisaca Day is an annual holiday celebrated in the Bolivian department of the same name. On this day in 1809, the Bolivian war of independence between in the city of Chuquisaca, which is now known as Sucre.
The birth anniversary of Kazi Nazrul Islam is an official holiday in the Indian state of Tripura, typically celebrated on May 25. It was established to honor a renowned Bengali poet, writer, composer, musician, and political activist.
Dezful Resistance Day, also known as Dezful National Day, is an Iranian military observance established to commemorate the resistance of the city of Dezful during the Iran–Iraq War of 1980–1988. It is observed annually on May 25 (the 4th of Khordad in the Solar Hijri calendar).
May 25 is National Wine Day. Today you can enjoy a glass or two of your favorite wine. By the way, why don't you add a splash of wine to your meal?
Geek Pride Day is an annual celebration that focuses on promoting geek culture. It is held on May 25 to commemorate the release of the first film in the Star Wars franchise (now known as Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) in 1977.
Towel Day is an informal holiday celebrated on May 25 by the fans of Douglas Adams, English science fiction writer. Adams is best know for his The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. Towel Day was created as a tribute to Adams two weeks after his death in 2001.
The Glorious Twenty-Fifth of May, also referred to as Wear the Lilac Day, is an annual celebration observed by fans of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. Lately it has also become an impromptu Alzheimer's disease awareness day.
Violation of women's rights is an acute problem in many countries around the world, including South Africa. Despite the legislative progress, many women in South Africa suffer gender inequality and can't find an appropriate job due to lack of skills. Annual campaign known as Take a Girl Child to Work Day is aimed at changing this situation.
In Germany, Father's Day (Vatertag) coincides with the Feast of Ascension. This holiday is also regionally referred to as Men's Day (Männertag) or Gentlemen's Day (Herrentag).
Festivals on May 25, 2017
- Saint Petersburg International Book Fair in Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Beat Film Festival in Moscow, Russia
- Narzissenfest in Bad Aussee, Austria
- Hay Festival of Literature and Arts in Hay-on-Wye, United Kingdom
- Kerrville Folk Festival in Kerrville, USA
- MegaCon Orlando in Orlando, USA
- Phoenix Fan Fusion in Phoenix, USA
- Tong Tong Fair in The Hague, Netherlands
- Jewish Motifs International Film Festival in Warsaw, Poland
- Latviabeerfest in Riga, Latvia
- Vienna Independent Shorts in Vienna, Austria
- Bergen International Festival in Bergen, Norway
- Soul Beach Music Festival in Oranjestad, Aruba
- Bookfest Bucharest in Bucharest, Romania
- Lightning in a Bottle in Bradley, USA
This Day in History
- 2024 Died: Johnny Wactor, American actor known for his roles on General Hospital and Siberia. He was fatally shot by men were trying to steal a catalytic converter from his vehicle.
- 2020 George Floyd, a Black American man, was murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest made after a store clerk suspected Floyd may have used a counterfeit twenty-dollar bill.
- 2013 Naxalite-Maoist insurgents attacked a convoy of Indian National Congress leaders in the Darbha Valley, India, killing 28 people and injuring 32.
- 2011 The final episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show aired in the United States, receiving the show's highest rating in 17 years. The show aired for 25 seasons.
- 2007 Died: Charles Nelson Reilly, American actor, comedian, director and drama teacher known for his comedic roles and as a game show panelist.
- 2001 32-year-old American athlete Erik Weihenmayer became the first (and, until 2021, the only) blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
- 1983 Died: King Idris I of Libya, the first and only king of Libya who reigned from 1959 to 1969. He was overthrown in a coup d'etat and exiled.
- 1981 Died: Fredric Warburg, British publisher best known for his association with George Orwell. He also published works by Thomas Mann, Franz Kafka and other leading authors.
- 1979 American Airlines Flight 191 crashed moments after taking off from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, killing 273 people, including 2 on the ground.
- 1977 The first film in the Star Wars series was released under the title Star Wars (later it was re-titled Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) by 20th Century Fox.
- 1976 Born: Cillian Murphy, Irish actor of stage and screen who first came to international attention due to his role in the 2002 film 28 Days Later.
- 1970 Born: Octavia Spencer, American actress whose an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination (as of May 2024).
- 1969 Born: Anne Heche, American actress, director, and screenwriter whose film credits include Six Days Seven Nights, I Know What You Did Last Summer, John Q.
- 1964 Born: Ray Stevenson, Irish-British film and television actor best known for his role as Titus Pullo on the BBC/HBO television series Rome.
- 1963 Born: Mike Myers, Canadian actor, comedian, film producer, film director, and screenwriter. He is best known for playing the title role in the Austin Powers film series.
- 1961 A fire broke out in the squatter settlement of Bukit Ho Swee, Singapore, killing 4 people and injuring 85. 16,000 people were made homeless.
- 1948 Born: Klaus Meine, German singer-songwriter best known as the lead singer of the hard rock band Scorpions. Their most popular hit is "Rock You Like a Hurricane".
- 1946 Died: Marcel Petiot, French physician and serial killer. He is suspected of murdering about 60 victims, although the true number is unknown.
- 1939 Died: Frank Watson Dyson, English astronomer and Astronomer Royal who is primarily remembered for introducing time signals from Greenwich.
- 1939 Born: Ian McKellen, English actor of stage, screen and television, recipient of numerous awards. His work spans genres from Shakespearean and modern theater to popular fantasy and sci-fi.
- 1935 American track and field athlete Jesse Owens set three world records and tied a fourth in 45 minutes during the Big Ten meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
- 1927 Born: Robert Ludlum, American author of thriller novels. His books have been translated into 33 languages and published in 40 countries.
- 1921 Born: Jack Steinberger, German-Swiss physicist who was awarded the 1988 Nobel Prize in Physics, sharing it with two colleagues.
- 1895 Irish dramatist, novelist, and poet Oscar Wilde was convicted of committing acts of gross indecency with other male persons and sentenced to two years' hard labor.
- 1889 Born: Igor Sikorsky, Russian and American aviation pioneer in both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. He immigrated to the USA in 1919.
- 1865 Born: Pieter Zeeman, Dutch physicist who was awarded the 1902 Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery of the Zeeman effect.
- 1805 Died: William Paley, English clergyman, Christian apologist, philosopher, and utilitarian. He is famous for his use of the watchmaker analogy.
- 1789 Died: Anders (Andreas) Dahl, Swedish botanist. It is believed that the dahlia flower was named after him by Spanish botanist Antonio José Cavanilles.
- 1681 Died: Pedro Calderón de la Barca, Spanish playwright, poet and writer whose work is considered to be the culmination of the Spanish Baroque theater.
- 1659 Richard Cromwell resigned as Lord Protector of England. He was one of the two non-royals to be the English head of state, along with his father Oliver Cromwell.
- 1595 Died: Philip Neri, known as the Apostle of Rome, Italian priest and saint who founded the Congregation of the Oratory, a society of secular clergy.
- 1555 Died: Gemma Frisius (born Jemme Reinerszoon), Dutch physician, mathematician, cartographer, philosopher, and instrument maker.
- 1251 The Diet of Worms ended when Holy Roman Emperor Charles V signed the Edict of Worms, which declared Martin Luther an outlaw.