Today is World Animal Day. While I was out cycling today, I tried to take a picture of any animals we passed.
World Animal Day is celebrated on 4th October because this is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals (and plants.)
World Animal Day in Dutch is Werelddierendag. From what I have heard and read, most people seem to call it Dierendag.
According to Dutch websites, the first World Animal Day was celebrated on 4th October 1930. British websites say it was first celebrated in 1931.
In 2006, Kindereboekenweek (Children's book week) started on 4th October. The book theme that year was animals.
Some Dutch schools allow children to bring a pet or cuddly toy to school with them. I wonder if this is popular in other countries? This doesn't happen, as far as I'm aware, in the UK but Daan remembers his classmates bringing their pets to school.
Lily,
ReplyDeleteHi....just wanted to thank you for your special thoughts and comments when you visited my blog a couple of weeks back. I haven't posted anything of late but have now returned home and hope to catch up with the world once again. My time with my daughter was precious....and very special.
Will find time to read your blog SOON!
Lily,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by my blog a couple of weeks ago and for your heartfelt comments. I have not posted for several weeks, but I'm home again now and hope to catch up with the world. My time with my daughter was precious....and very special.
Will find time to read your blog SOON!
It's funny, I had no idea about animal day but this week my girlfriend was talking about a time in primary school when she did a presentation about her friends dog and they had the dog there in the class room.
ReplyDeleteHi, I found your blog following a link on Invader_Stu's blog. (Invading Holland)How nice to find yet another fellow blogger and expat living in the Netherlands.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about the World Animal Day or that it was related to St. Franciss day. Very cute photos!!
Cheers!
Hi White Dove. You're welcome! :) Hope to see you posting again soon.
ReplyDeleteStu - was it perhaps because it was dierendag on Sunday? The boyfriend was talking a lot about the pets his friends took to school too on Sunday! The Dutch sure are huge animal lovers, don't you think?
Hi Aledys! I didn't know about it either but it's fun to learn new things. I will read your blog tomorrow. I wish I could have taken some better pictures but I always feel silly stopping near people's houses to snap pics of animals in their field! hehe :)