Happy Birthday to Panama!

Santiago, also known as Santiago de Chile, the capital and largest city of Chile. *Photo from Wikipedia September 18 is Chile’s National Day. It commemorates the proclamation of the First Governing Body of 1810, and marking the beginning of the Chilean independence process. In 1808, Napoleon’s enthronement of his brother Joseph as the Spanish King precipitated the drive by the colony for independence from Spain. A national junta (a civil deliberative or administrative council) in the name of Ferdinand – heir to the deposed king – was formed on September 18, 1810. In memory of this day Chile celebrates its

Ljubljana, the capital and largest city of Slovenia. *Photo from Wikipedia June 25 is Statehood Day of Croatia and Slovenia. It is a holiday that occurs to celebrate their 1991 declaration of independence from Yugoslavia. Croatia In 1918, after World War I, Croatia was included in the unrecognized State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs which seceded from Austria-Hungary and merged into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The fascist Croatian puppet state backed by Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany existed during World War II. After the war, Croatia became a founding member and a federal constituent of the Socialist Federal Republic of

Naadam ceremony in Ulaanbaatar. Nadaam is a traditional festival in Mongolia, which is held during the National Holiday from July 11 to 13. *Photo from Wikipedia July 11 is the day Russia’s Red Army captures Mongolia from the White Army and established the Mongolian People’s Republic. Genghis Khan was able to unite and conquer the Mongols, forging them into a fighting force which went on to create the largest contiguous empire in world history, the Mongol Empire. After the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty in 1368, the Mongols returned to their earlier patterns of internal strife. Buddhism in Mongolia