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THE Country Celebration Thread

76K views 887 replies 44 participants last post by  HoorayBeer 
#1 · (Edited)
Well a good friend of mine (Orange Wombat) gave me this idea (he would've posted this, but he had to leave). This will be moved to non-tennis, but it belongs in GM so that more people will see it. Today is national Indonesia day, and as a sign of respect me and Orange Wombat have switched our flags to Indonesia. When people think of the world, they rarely think of Indonesia and as a result Indonesia doesn't get the respect it deserves. So just take this day to show a sign of respect and switch your flag to Indonesia.

No, this is not a 'trolling attempt', but rather showing respect. Have fun all :)



2013 Flag Season
January- Sudan
February- Saint Lucia
March- Bosnia and Herzegovina
April- Syria
May- Israel
June- Democratic Republic of the Congo
July- São Tomé and Príncipe
August- Burkina Faso
September- Saint Kitts and Nevis
October- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
November- Yemen
December- Iceland
 
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#592 ·
im innnnnnnn but i must tell u the only thing i know about Kuwait is that Saddam Hussein Invaded the country in 1991 and the Americans rescued her
 
#596 ·
True, no African yet. They haven't got enough winter....

There are two nations in addition to Liechtenstein who has taken more medals in Winter games than they have taken in Summer games - Norway and Austria. Norway is the all-time medal leader in Winter games ahead of the Soviet Union/Russia, USA, Austria, Germany, Finland, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland and the DDR. After next year the DDR will finally fall out of the top-10.
 
#601 ·
February 26:

Kuwait (1991) --- Kuwait Liberation Day



Kuwait commemorates 2 National Days each year. The first one is held on February 25 and is for Kuwait's creation as a nation, and the second one marks the liberation from Iraq and is held on February 26.

After the Iran-Iraq war ended, Kuwait declined an Iraqi request to forgive its US$65 billion debt. An economic rivalry between the two countries ensued after Kuwait increased its oil production by 40 percent. Tensions between the two countries increased further in July 1990, after Iraq complained to Opec that Kuwait was stealing its oil from a field near the border by slant drilling of the Rumaila field. Saddam Hussein threatened military action. On 2 August 1990, Iraqi forces invaded and annexed Kuwait. The Emir Jaber and his government fled to Saudi Arabia. A long-time ally of Saddam Hussein, Yemen's President, Ali Abdullah Saleh was quick to back Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait. Saddam Hussein declared that Emir Jaber of Kuwait, Jaber Al-Sabah, was deposed. The Iraqis initially propped up a puppet régime before annexing Kuwait and installing Ali Hassan al-Majid as the new governor of Kuwait. During the Iraqi occupation, about 1,000 Kuwaiti civilians were killed and more than 300,000 residents fled the country. After a series of failed diplomatic negotiations and Iraq's failure to comply with a UN resolution ordering it to pull out, a US-led aerial bombing campaign began in Kuwait and Iraq in January 1991. The United States-led coalition of thirty-four nations fought the Gulf War to remove the Iraqi forces from Kuwait. On 26 February 1991, the coalition succeeded in driving out the Iraqi forces. As they retreated, Iraqi forces carried out a scorched earth policy by setting on fire or damaging 737 Kuwaiti oil wells as they pulled out. The Emir and his government returned in March 1991 and imposed a three-month period of martial law. Kuwait paid the coalition forces US$17 billion for their war efforts.
 
#606 ·
February 27:

Dominican Republic (1844) --- Independence from Haiti



In 1838 Juan Pablo Duarte founded a secret society called La Trinitaria, which sought the complete independence of Santo Domingo without any foreign intervention. Matías Ramón Mella and Francisco del Rosario Sánchez, despite not being among the founding members of La Trinitaria, were decisive in the fight for independence. Duarte, Mella, and Sánchez are considered the three Founding Fathers of the Dominican Republic.

On February 27, 1844, thereafter celebrated as Dominican Independence Day, the rebels seized the Ozama Fortress in the capital. The Haitian garrison, taken by surprise and apparently betrayed by at least one of its sentries, retired in disarray. Within two days, all Haitian officials had left Santo Domingo. Mella headed the provisional governing junta of the new Dominican Republic. On March 14, Duarte finally returned after recovering from his illness and was greeted in celebration.

For years, Santana's military forces continued to defend the Republic against all the Haitian attacks, defeating them in the battles of March 19, March 30, El Memiso, and at Puerto Tortuguero. In early July 1844, Duarte was urged by his followers to take the title of President of the Republic. Duarte agreed, but only if free elections were arranged. However, Santana's forces took Santo Domingo on July 12, 1844, and they declared Santana ruler of the Dominican Republic. Santana then put Mella, Duarte, and Sánchez in jail.

On November 6, 1844 a constituent assembly drafted a constitution, based on the Haitian and United States models, which established separation of powers and legislative checks on the executive. However, Santana included in it Article 210, which granted him unlimited power during the current war against Haiti. The war continued throughout September and November 1845 being the Haitians defeated at Estrelleta and Beler. Santana remained as President until 1848, when he lost the election, only to seize power by a coup d'état the year after, when the Haitian President Faustin Soulouque attacked and was defeated at El Número and at Las Carreras.
 
#607 ·
Over to Dominican Republic!

My Dominican Rep. athlete is Felix Sanchez, a double (and reigning) Olympic Champions and double World Champion in the 400 meters hurdles. The dominant force in his event in the early 00s, but plagued with injury afterwards, he managed a tremendous comeback to take the OG last year. One of the true greats of his event.
 
#609 ·
March 1:

Bosnia & Herzegovina (1992) --- Independence Day



On 18 November 1990, the first multi-party parliamentary elections were held. A second round followed on 25 November, resulting in a national assembly where communist power was replaced by a coalition of three ethnically based parties. Croatia and Slovenia's subsequent declarations of independence and the warfare that ensued placed Bosnia and Herzegovina and its three constituent peoples in an awkward position. A significant split soon developed on the issue of whether to stay with the Yugoslav federation (overwhelmingly favored among Serbs) or seek independence (overwhelmingly favored among Bosniaks and Croats). The Serb members of parliament, consisting mainly of the Serb Democratic Party members, abandoned the central parliament in Sarajevo, and formed the Assembly of the Serb People of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 24 October 1991, which marked the end of the tri-ethnic coalition that governed after the elections in 1990. This Assembly established the Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 9 January 1992, which became Republika Srpska in August 1992. On 18 November 1991, the party branch in Bosnia and Herzegovina of the ruling party in the Republic of Croatia, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), proclaimed the existence of the Croatian Community of Herzeg-Bosnia, as a separate "political, cultural, economic, and territorial whole", on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Croat Defence Council (HVO) as its military part. The Bosnian government did not recognize it. The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared Herzeg-Bosnia illegal, first on 14 September 1992 and again on 20 January 1994. A declaration of Bosnia and Herzegovina sovereignty on 15 October 1991 was followed by a referendum for independence from Yugoslavia on 29 February and 1 March 1992 boycotted by the great majority of the Serbs. The turnout in the independence referendum was 63.4 percent and 99.7 percent of voters voted for independence.


South Korea (1919) --- The Samil Movement



The March 1st Movement, or Samil Movement, was one of the earliest public displays of Korean resistance during the occupation of the Korean Empire by Japan. The name refers to an event that occurred on March 1, 1919, hence the movement's name, literally meaning "Three-One Movement" or "March First Movement" in Korean. The Samil Movement came as a result of the repressive nature of colonial occupation under its military rule of the Japanese Empire following 1905, and the "Fourteen Points" outlining the right of national "self-determination" proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson at the Paris Peace Conference in January 1919. After hearing news of Wilson’s speech, Korean students studying in Tokyo published a statement demanding freedom from colonial rule. Adding to this was the death of former Emperor Gojong on January 21, 1919. There was widespread suspicion that he had been poisoned, credible since previous attempts (the "coffee plot") were well-known. At 2 P.M. on 1 March 1919, the 33 nationalists who formed the core of the Samil Movement convened at Taehwagwan Restaurant in Seoul, and read the Korean Declaration of Independence that had been drawn up by the historian Choe Nam-seon. The nationalists initially planned to assemble at Tapgol Park in downtown Seoul, but they chose a more private location out of fear that the gathering might turn into a riot. The leaders of the movement signed the document and sent a copy to the Governor General, with their compliments.


Wales (cca 1101) --- Saint David's Day



St David (Welsh: Dewi Sant) was born towards the end of the fifth century. He was a scion of the royal house of Ceredigion, and founded a Celtic monastic community at Glyn Rhosyn (The Vale of Roses) on the western headland of Pembrokeshire (Sir Benfro), at the spot where St David's Cathedral stands today. David's fame as a teacher and ascetic spread throughout the Celtic world. His foundation at Glyn Rhosin became an important Christian shrine, and the most important centre in Wales. The date of Dewi Sant's death is recorded as 1 March, but the year is uncertain – possibly 588. As his tearful monks prepared for his death St David uttered these words: 'Brothers be ye constant. The yoke which with single mind ye have taken, bear ye to the end; and whatsoever ye have seen with me and heard, keep and fulfill'. For centuries, 1 March has been a national festival. St David was recognised as a national patron saint at the height of Welsh resistance to the Normans. St David's day was celebrated by Welsh diaspora from the late Middle Ages. Indeed, the 17th century diarist Samuel Pepys noted how Welsh celebrations in London for St David's day would spark wider countercelebrations amongst their English neighbours: life-sized effigies of Welshmen were symbolically lynched, and by the 18th century the custom had arisen of confectioners producing 'Taffies' – gingerbread figures baked in the shape of a Welshman riding a goat - on St David's Day. Saint David's Day is not a national holiday in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Similarly in the United States of America, it has regularly been celebrated, although it is not an official holiday. It is invariably celebrated by Welsh societies throughout the world with dinners, parties, eisteddfodau (recitals and concerts).
 
#611 ·
Over to Wales!

My Welsh athlete is Ian Woosnam, a former world #1 golfer and major champion. He played on top level for many years.

Wales will in many sports not be represented directly, instead sorting under the UK, but in golf we have Wales competing on their own.
 
#613 ·
Great Britain is the bigger Island. UK consists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Great Britain consists of England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland shares the smaller of the two principal Islands with Ireland.

The story behind Great Britain is that it used to be Greater Britain as opposed to another area called Lesser Britain, they were ruled by the same people. What was once Lesser Britain now lies in France and is called Bretagne, and Greater was shortened to Great somewhere along the way.
 
#616 ·
It is one name though. The UK. The full name of the country is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island, and is composed of the island of Great Britain, Northern Island and smaller islands surrounding the group.

This is like the Holland debate. People should call this country the UK, not Great Britain.

And now time to move on to South Korea.
 
#615 ·
I love wales!!!! Benny love there and it's part if the UK!!!
 
#618 ·
Over to Bosnia & Herzegovina!

My Bosnian athlete is the chess player Predrag Nikolić. He's been an elite player for many years, with several good tournament results both on his own and in team events. He tied for first in the individual European Championship in 2004. Although now past his prime he's still a part of the Bosnian national team.
 
#619 ·
Since I am not gonna be here, I will celebrate the following on Monday:

March 3:


Bulgaria (1878) --- Liberation Day



Several Bulgarian revolts erupted throughout the nearly five centuries of Ottoman rule, most notably the Habsburg-backed Tarnovo uprisings in 1598 and in 1686, the Chiprovtsi Uprising in 1688 and Karposh's Rebellion in 1689. In the 18th century, the Enlightenment in Western Europe provided influence for the initiation of a movement known as the National awakening of Bulgaria. It restored national consciousness and became a key factor in the liberation struggle, resulting in the 1876 April Uprising. Up to 30,000 Bulgarians were killed as Ottoman authorities put down the rebellion. The massacres prompted the Great Powers to take action. They convened the Constantinople Conference in 1876, but their decisions were rejected by the Ottomans. This allowed the Russian Empire to seek a solution by force without risking military confrontation with other Great Powers, as had happened in the Crimean War. In 1877 Russia declared war on the Ottoman empire and defeated its forces with the help of Bulgarian volunteers.

The Treaty of San Stefano was signed on 3 March 1878, setting up a de jure autonomous Bulgarian principality on the territories of the Second Bulgarian Empire. The Great Powers immediately rejected the treaty out of fear that such a large country in the Balkans might threaten their interests. The subsequent Treaty of Berlin provided for a much smaller state comprising Moesia and the region of Sofia, leaving large populations of Bulgarians outside the new country. This played a significant role in forming Bulgaria's militaristic approach to foreign affairs during the first half of the 20th century.


And setting up Wales until Monday, when I return.:D
 
#620 ·
Over to South Korea!

My South Korean athlete is Kyou-Hyuk Lee, a speed skater who has won the sprint World Championship four times and been part of the world's best for many years. He set a World Record time at the 1000 metres as far back as 1997 and is still a top competitor in the 500 and 1000 metres.
 
#623 ·
Over to Bulgaria!

My Bulgarian athlete is Stefka Kostadinova, a high jumper par excellence. She was the best in the world for a decade. She has Olympic gold and silver, two World Championships and five World Indoor Championships. She set seven World Records and her best mark of 2,09 is still the reigning record.
 
#624 ·
Moving to Bulgariaaaaa
 
#627 ·
no country is perfect martin ;)
 
#630 ·
Lets party, someone should buy pizza and bring Cc, we are wild
 
#631 · (Edited)
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