The month of August brings us a pleasant weather. In the original Roman calendar, the month of August was called Sextilis. This was because it was the sixth month of the year. Later, after January and February were added to the calendar, it became the eighth month of the year. At the time the month had 29 days. When Julius Caesar created the Julian calendar in 45 BC, two days were added giving the month 31 days. The month was later renamed Augustus in honor of the first emperor of Rome, Caesar Augustus.
Symbols of August
- Birthstone: Agate or onyx
- Flower: Gladiolus or poppy
- Zodiac signs: Leo and Virg
Important dates in August: National and International
August 1: Yorkshire Day and Mountain Climbing Day
Yorkshire Day is celebrated in the memory of a historic English country named as Yorkshire. In the previous years, this is celebrated by the Yorkshire Ridings Society in 1974.
National Mountain Climbing Day is celebrated on 1 August to honour Bobby Mathews, Josh Madigan. The two men climbed the 46 High Peaks of New York State’s Adirondack Mountains in 2015
August 2(First Sunday of August): Friendship Day
This day is celebrated on the first Sunday of August and the line that is promoted in this festival is “ A Friend in Need is a friend indeed”.
August 3: Raksha Bandhan
Raksha Bandhan is an auspicious festival that is celebrated on the full-moon day of the Hindu Month of Sravana that is July or August. This year it is going to be celebrated on 3 August.
August 4: US Coast Guard Day
This day is celebrated as the establishment day of the U.S. Coast Guard and also praises the contributions of Coast Guards. The significance of this day holds a very important part in U.S. Armed Forces.
August 6: Hiroshima Day
Hiroshima Day is observed on 6 August every year. This is the day when the atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.
August 7: International Beer Day
As the name suggests, it is celebrated to sit back and enjoy with a glass of beer. Since 2007, the day is celebrated. The tradition started in California. The International Beer Day falls on the First Friday of August, this year it will be observed on August 7.
August 8: Quit India Movement Day
All India Congress Committee session in Bombay on 8 August 1942, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi launched the ‘Quit India Movement’. It is also known as August Movement or August Kranti.
August 9: Nagasaki Day
This day is celebrated in the memory of the second and last nuclear weapon attack on Nagasaki, Japan. This attack gives some of the never healing wounds to Japan.
August 9: Day of the World`s Indigenous Peoples
Every year International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is celebrated on 9 August to encourage people from around the world to spread the UN’s message on the protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples.
August 12: International Youth Day
International Youth Day is truly one of the most special days in August. This day is celebrated with a lot of gusto and galore globally to draw attention towards the growth and development of young minds i.e. the youth of nations.
August 13: International Lefthanders Day
This day is celebrated for giving special assistance to the left-hand people who bought this uniqueness and differences in the community. The establishment of this day was done by Dean R. Campbell in 1976.
August 14: Youm-e-Azadi (Pakistan Independence Day)
This day holds importance for the constitutional bodies of Pakistan. This day is celebrated as the independence of Pakistan. On this day in 1947, Pakistan got free from the British Rule.
August 15: National Mourning Day (Bangladesh)
On this day Bangladesh’s first President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated along with most of his family members.
August 15: India’s Independence Day
This day is very important for the Indian Constitution as India got Independence from British rule in 1947. This day is also considered as the gazetted holiday in India.
August 15: Victory over Japan Day (UK) and Day of the assumption of the Virgin Mary
In the memory of the victory of the UK over Japan in World War II, Victory over Japan Day s celebrated in the UK. On this day Japan army surrendered in front of the UK army and the official notice of surrender is released in 1945.
Day of the assumption of the Virgin Mary holds a very important in Orthodox Churches, oriental Orthodoxy, Catholic Church, and Eastern Orthodox Churches. According to them on this day, the mother of Jesus was taken into Heaven.
August 16: Bennington Battle Day
A Day devoted to the Battle of Bennington held in 1777 on August 16 is known as the Bennington Battle Day. A revolutionary battle in American history, which was an indispensable part of the Saratoga campaign. It is observed on 16 August.
August 17: Indonesian Independence Day
Indonesian Independence Day is celebrated on 17 August every year. This day is celebrated as the declaration of independence from Dutch colonization in 1945.
August 19: World Photography Day
This day is considered as the annual celebration in which they praise the art and beauty of photography. Along with that, there are a lot of exhibitions that reorganized on this day to represent some amazing photos.
August 19: World Humanitarian Day
This day is celebrated in the memory of workers who give their lives in working for humanity and give their support to the people while suffering from any of the diseases.
August 20: World Mosquito Day
A day observed in the honour of the man who discovered that the deadly disease of Malaria is spread through a mosquito bite. World Mosquito Day is observed each year on 20 August. It was a British doctor in 1897, Sir Ronald Ross, who discovered the root cause of the disease of Malaria.
August 20: Sadbhavana Divas
This day is celebrated in the memory of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi as their birth anniversary. This day aims to spread affection, national integration, communal harmony, and peace.
August 20: Indian Akshay Urja Day
Indian Akshay Urja Day is celebrated on 20 August annually to raise awareness about the development of renewable energy in India. It is a campaign that is celebrated since 2004. This day commemorates the birthday of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
August 22: Madras Day
On this day, Madras which is now Chennai has been founded. To honor and to celebrate this day, the entire week is grandeur and rejoiced. The whole city is being decorated beautifully to lighten up on this day.
August 23: International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
This day is observed on 23 August every year to remind us about the tragedy of the slave trade in memory of all peoples that is about the tragedy of the transatlantic slave trade. It provides a chance to think about the historic causes and the consequences of the slave trade.
August 23: European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism
This day is also known as Black Ribbon Day and this day is celebrated in the memory of victims of Stalinist, communist, fascist, and Nazi regimes.
August 26: Women’s Equality Day
This day commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which granted the women right to vote. In 1971, the U.S. Congress officially recognized August 26 as Women’s Equality Day.
August 29: National Sports Day
This day is celebrated in the memory of Indian Hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. On this day, Dhyan was born in Prayagraj in 1905. He was the captain of the Indian Hockey team and won several medals in hockey.
August 30: Small Industry Day
Small Industry Day is observed on 30 August every year to support and promote small scale industries.
August 31: Hari Merdeka (Malaysia National Day)
This day is considered as the official independence day of Malaysia. This decision is defined under Article 160 of the constitution of Malaysia. All the official and unofficial ceremonies take place on this day.
