What It Celebrates This year, the Mid‑Autumn Festival—also known as the Moon or Mooncake Festival—fell on October 6, 2025. Rooted in over 3,000 years of lunar and harvest reverence, it’s one of East Asia’s most significant cultural traditions. What it celebrates Core Traditions Regional Highlights A beautiful visual summary capturing how families in China celebrated the festival…
A new university term is an exciting opportunity to start fresh, meet new people, and tackle new challenges. Whether you’re a first-year student navigating campus for the first time or a seasoned senior looking to make the most of your final terms, here are some tips to set yourself up for success. For New Students…
A Pivotal Papal Bull Pope Innocent VIII issued the papal bull “Summis desiderantes affectibus” on December 5, 1484. This significant document addressed the growing concerns about witchcraft in Europe and provided the impetus for subsequent witch hunts. Context and Issuance During his papacy from 1484 to 1492, Innocent VIII faced various political and religious challenges.…
To sound more natural and fluent in English, it helps to learn the idiomatic expressions and casual phrases that native speakers use in everyday conversations. Here are some commonly used phrases. Casual Greetings and Small Talk Expressions of Surprise and Enthusiasm Expressions of Agreement and Understanding Incorporating these phrases into your conversations can help you…
Halloween is a holiday celebrated each year on October 31. The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints. Soon, All Saints Day incorporated some…
Every year on October 24th, the world comes together to celebrate United Nations Day, commemorating the establishment of the United Nations in 1945. This day marks the anniversary of the UN Charter’s entry into force, a pivotal moment in history that reshaped international relations and laid the groundwork for global cooperation and peacekeeping. The United…
The phrase “hit the nail on the head” is a widely used idiom that means to describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem or to be exactly right about something. It is often used to commend someone for being accurate and precise in their assessment or observation. This idiom originates from carpentry, where…
Decent Work and Social Protection: Putting dignity in practice for all The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, celebrated annually on October 17th, aims to promote understanding and dialogue between people living in poverty and the wider society. This year’s theme draws on first-hand testimonials showing that those trapped in extreme poverty often work long,…
Europe Day is a vibrant celebration that lights up two dates on the calendar across Europe. On 9 May, the European Union pays tribute to the peace and unity of the entire continent. The date was chosen to commemorate the 1950 Schuman Declaration, a speech that laid the foundations for what would become the European Union. The aim…
Did you know that today is International Harry Potter Day? Although the Harry Potter books were first published in 1998 and the films were released in 2001, it wasn’t until a decade later, after the books and films had been released, that International Harry Potter Day was officially announced. In fact, it was only in…