"The July sun shines not on us, but in us."
- John Muir, Scottish-born American naturalist, environmental philosopher 1838-1914
July marks the halfway point of the year, providing an opportunity to set new goals, embrace change, and approach the remainder of 2023. Numerous celebrations take place this month, notably:
- 1st July: Canada Day
- 4th July: US Independence Day
- 7th July: Global Forgiveness Day (world)
- 9th July: Argentina National Day
- 11th-15th July: Naadam Festival – Mongolia
- 14th July: La Fête Nationale – France
- 18th July: Mandela Day (UN)
- 18th–19th July: Al-Hijra, the Islamic New Year
- 21st July: Belgium Independence Day
- 30th July: International Friendship Day (world)
The Naadam Festival is a traditional and widely celebrated event I regretfully missed years ago. Naadam, which means “games”, showcases the “Three Manly Games” in deeply rooted nomadic traditions in Mongolia: wrestling, horse racing, and archery. If you wish to soak in the rich grassland carnival, check on this vlog (25’60”): https://www.youtube.com/watch?
July is a season of reflection and introspection of the fleeting time, with two meaningful days: Global Forgiveness Day (7th) and International Friendship Day (30th). If we could set our differences aside and let go of negativity, we could mend relationships and create a better world together.
“To you, to us, to friendship!”
A Journey A Month…
Your Story. Our Story. The Human Story.
“Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star!” said W. Clement Stone, an American businessman and philanthropist. Aptly and inspiring as we refine priorities and create a roadmap for what we want to accomplish for the second half of 2023!
While pondering over our goals for the remainder of the year, here are some fun-facts quizzes to add to our social “small talk” library to build international friendships:
Q1. What is in the name of “Canada”? While various theories have been postulated for the name of Canada, its origin is now accepted as coming from the St. Lawrence Iroquoian word kanata, meaning ‘village’ or ‘settlement’, or ‘kampung’ for my ASEAN friends. (source: Wikipedia)
Q2. How many hotdogs are eaten by Americans every Forth of July? According to the U.S.A. National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, a whopping 150 million! Enough to make a line from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles more than five times over. (source: Nat. Hot Dog & Sausage Council)
Q3. What is the national sport of “Argentina”? Juego del pato, more commonly referred to as Pato. It is a game played on horseback that combines elements of polo and basketball. The game was invented in the 17th century by gauchos whose playing field would stretch from one farm to the next! A kind of Harry Potter’s Quidditch game on the ground. (source: https://www.globetrotting.com.
“Rejoice, Recharge, and have a Wonderful July!”
The world is fascinating simply because differences exist!
Join us to spread the words, share the vision, and do our parts.
At TransCultural Group (TCG), we are determined to play our part in making the world a better place. We have launched an e-book for Youth. We have also uploaded the complete series of “Food around the World” on our YouTube channel.
Please share it If you love our effort, and please give us a “like” and subscribe to our “YouTube” channel (it is free!) Come support us!
Crossing Cultures – Beyond Boundaries
Keng Keng Tan
Founder & CEO
TransCultural Group
kengkeng@transculturalgroup.com
www.transculturalgroup.com
