Global Handwashing Day is on Oct 15

How many of you wash your hands before eating anything? Perhaps most of you do not realise the danger of eating without washing your hands, not just with water but using soap as well .

We can transfer a lot of germs into our system by eating with unwashed hands. Taking into consideration this fact, the UN declared a special day to wash hands!

On October 15, 2008, the first-ever Global Handwashing Day was launched with the participation of more than 120 million children around the world .

Children in more than 70 countries across five continents.from Colombia to Bangladesh, from Kenya to the Philippines, from the United Kingdom to Ethiopia, schools and communities worldwide organised and participated in celebrations and handwashing activities to remind the world that "Clean Hands Save Lives!".

The UN General Assembly designated 2008 the International Year of Sanitation, and Global Handwashing Day echoed and reinforced its call for improved hygiene practices.

Global Handwashing Day will be the centerpiece of a week of activities that will mobilise millions of people in more than 20 countries across five continents to wash their hands with soap.

Make it a habit to wash your hands before eating anything. If you are not in the habit of washing your hands prior to meals, make a commitment to do so in the future on this special day.

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What do hedgehogs have for lunch?

Prickled onions!

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What do you call a blind dinosaur?

Do-you-think-he-saur-us!

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A lay preacher is buying a parrot.

"Are you sure it doesn't scream, yell, or swear?" asked the preacher.

"Oh absolutely. It's a religious parrot," the storekeeper assures him.

"Do you see those strings on his legs? When you pull the right one, he recites the Lord's prayer, and when you pull on the left he recites the 23rd Psalm."

"Wonderful!" says the preacher, "but what happens if you pull both strings?"

"I fall off my perch, you stupid fool!" screeched the parrot.

October 11

Piyasena Nissanka, a journalist died in 1970.

Amitabh Bachchan, Indian film star, was born in 1941.

King Rajadhi Rajasinghe, youngest son of Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, the last king of the Kandyan Kingdom, died in 1842.

October 12

Ramsey McDonald, the first Labour Prime Minister of Britain was born in 1866.

Ian fleming, English author died in 1964.

October 13

C. W. W. Kannangara (Father of Free Education in Ceylon) was born in 1884.

Margaret Thatcher, a former British Prime Minister (1979-1990) was born in 1925.

A. H. M. Fowzie, Minister of Petroleum and Petroleum Resources, was born in 1937.

October 14

Dwight D. Eisenhower, a former American President (1952-1960) was born in 1890.

H. W. Amarasooriya, Buddhist philanthropist was born in 1904.

Roger Moore, English actor who acted in the "James Bond" movie series was born in 1927.

Cliff Richards, popular British singer was born in 1940.

October 15

Dayananda Gunawardene, a dramatist and film director was born in 1934.

Mario Puzo, American novelist was born in 1920.

Prof. John K. Galbraith, Canadian economist was born in 1908.

P. G. Woodhouse, English writer was born in 1881.

October 16

David Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel was born in 1886.

Eugene O'neil, American playwright was born in 1888.

General Moshe Dayan, a former Israel Defence Minister (1964-1974) died in 1981.

October 17

Arthur Miller, American playwright was born in 1915.

Ehelepola Adikaram, was executed by the British in 1818.

C. T. Fernando, popular Sinhala singer died in 1977.

Aravinda De Silva, a former Sri Lankan cricketer was born in 1965.

October 11

Kotelawala Defence Academy was declared open in 1980.

Pioneer I ,first space craft was launched by NASA in 1958.

The first steam powered ferry boat (Juliana) was launched in 1811.

October 12

Ceylon Civil Service was established in 1798.

National day of Spain.

International Arthritis Day.

October 13

Kotmale hydropower project (second stage) was inaugurated in 2008.

The foundation stone for White House, official residence of the American President was laid in 1792.

October 14

International Standard Day.

Supreme Court of Criminal Jurisdiction was established 1799.

October 15

Amnesty International was founded in 1962.

International White Cane Day.

The British Naval Base at Trincomalee was handed over to Ceylon in 1957.

World Handwashing Day.

October 16

Kandyan Marriage Law came into force in 1859.

World Food Day.

October 17

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

Compiled by W.A. Rusiru JAYASURIYA

Proper values must be inculcated in children

Premier

by Ananda KANNANGARA

The national ceremony of this year's International Children's Day was held on a grand scale at Ananda College, Colombo on October 1 under the patronage of Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka. Addressing the students and teachers, the Premier said that unlike some countries, Sri Lankan children always obey their parents and give a patient hearing to their valuable advice.

"We need to ensure that children behave in this manner, if not there are possibilities for them to indulge in unlawful activities, which ultimately would destroy their valuable lives", he stressed.

Recalling the days at his alma mater Ananda College, the Premier said that they not only obeyed the valuable advice given by their parents, but also that of their teachers as guiding to become good citizen.

He said today's children will be tomorrow's leaders and therefore they must develop their cultural, spiritual, religious and social values which immensely help them to be good citizens.

He said LTTE leader Prabhakaran, without knowing the value of education, gave guns to children instead of pens and cyanide capsules instead of the Panchaudaya.

"He brainwashed children and filled their minds with hatred and a dangerous concept. However, the Government was able to change all such ill feelings and bring prosperity to children and also elders who were under the LTTE rule," the Premier pointed out.

The Premier also said unlike in many Western countries, traditional Sri Lankan culture encourages people to take care of both children and elders.

Premier Wickramanayaka also highlighted the better living conditions of nearly 90,000 children in IDP camps and said that steps have been taken to send them back to their parents and relatives.

He said in addition, the Government spends a colossal sum of money every day to provide various welfare facilities to these children.

White Cane Safety Day

White Cane Safety Day celebrates blind and visually impaired people's achievements in the United States on October 15 every year. Many other countries in the world too observe this day with special events to create an awareness of the special needs of the visually impaired.

It also reminds people about how the white cane is an important tool in helping the blind and the visually impaired live with greater independence. Organisations, such as Lions Clubs International and the National Federation of the Blind, organise promotional activities involving the public as part of a goal to help to increase awareness of the use of the white cane and the laws that govern its use.

White Cane Safety Day also reminds people that motor vehicles and pedestrians should yield the right of way to blind or visually impaired people using canes.

The first of the state laws regarding the right of blind people to travel independently with the white cane was passed in 1930. It granted blind pedestrians protection and the right-of-way while carrying a white cane.

In 1963 the National Federation of the Blind called upon the governors from every state to proclaim October 15 of each year as White Cane Safety Day. At the time, only a few people achieved enough independence to travel alone on busy highways. The United States Congress, by joint resolution approved on October 6, 1964, designated October 15 of each year as White Cane Safety Day.

Kent Ridge Junior+ Second Programme

Due to popular demand the second programme of the Kent Ridge Junior + Developing Future Leaders will be held October 17 at "Jana Kala Kendraya", Battaramulla. From 8.00 a,m to 5.00 p.m for children between the ages 10-15. The key learning objective would focus on working in teams, developing leadership skills, self-reliance, initiativeness, respect diversity, self-discipline and overcoming self-imposed limits, boosting moral, active personality and creating a vision. Protinex-Life will stimulate the programme by being the Strategic partner along with Junior Observer as the Media partner. Safety and security will be a key aspect in the programme conducted by internationally qualified well experienced trainers.

Contact: Jagath: 071-9000008 - Programme Manager or Vindya: 011-2805155

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty :

The world's poor need urgent help

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is celebrated every year on October 17 throughout the world. It was officially recognised by the United Nations in 1992, but the first commemoration of the event took place in Paris, France, in 1987 when 100,000 people gathered on the Human Rights and Liberties Plaza at the TrocadÃ(c)ro to honour victims of poverty, hunger, violence and fear.

Poverty

* According to the WHOÂ estimates in 2008, 18 million people die every year from poverty-related causes. That's nearly 50,000 deaths everyday.

* Every year, between 9 and 11 million of these deaths are children. That's 25,000-30,000 children dying everyday from poverty. * These statistics account for one third of all human deaths. More people die as a result of extreme poverty than of any other cause.

*Of the 2.2 billion children in the world, 600 million are victims of extreme poverty.

*Extreme poverty is increasingly concentrated in fragile states and territories, defined as those with very weak institutions and poor policies.

*These areas are home to 9 percent of the population living in developing countries, but nearly 27 percent of the extreme poor. These places are often sources of war, terrorism and refugee crises.