The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by resolution 36/67 of the United Nations General Assembly to coincide with its opening session, which was held annually on the third Tuesday of September. The first Peace Day was observed in September 1982. In 2001, the General Assembly by unanimous vote adopted resolution 55/282, which established 21 September as an annual day of non-violence and cease-fire. The UN invites all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities during the Day, and to otherwise commemorate the Day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace.

http://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/

Au Pairs from all over Connecticut attended the annual trip to Lake Compounce in Bristol, CT.     Lake Compounce is the oldest, continuously-operating amusement park in North America.   During the hotest week of the summer, there was lots of opportunity to cool off with the water rides and roller coasters.

STAMFORD, CT - June 9, 2011 – In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the United States’ au pair program, the Connecticut State Senate has issued an official citation offering congratulations to Au Pair in America, the nation’s first au pair organization.

“We are very honored to receive this prestigious proclamation from the state of Connecticut, the place where Au Pair in America has called home since 1986,” states William L. Gertz, President and CEO of the American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS), the parent company of Au Pair in America. “We are looking forward to another 25 years of ‘bringing the world together’ while providing exceptional child care for American families.”

In addition, Senator Joseph Lieberman and Congressman Jim Himes of Connecticut issued their own recognition and well wishes in recent Congressional Records.

“I can personally attest to the strength and value of the Au Pair Program,” remarked Senator Lieberman at the May 26 Senate session. “When our youngest daughter was growing up, Hadassah and I had several au pairs. The exchange experience enriched the lives of our au pair and my family through the sharing of culture, language and religion.”

To further honor this historic milestone, Au Pair in America will co-host a 25th anniversary celebration along with the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC on Thursday, June 9.

Founded in 1986, the U.S. Department of State’s au pair program allows 18 to 26-year-old international visitors who travel to the U.S. on a J-1 Visitor Exchange Visa to acquire a better understanding and appreciation of American life while living with an American family and caring for their young children.

Au Pair in America, the first organization to be authorized as a sponsor of the program in 1986, matches potential au pairs that meet the different criteria posed by host families. Both au pairs and families complete a thorough application and matching process to ensure the best situation for all parties.

To learn more about the program, contact Au Pair in America at (800) 928-7247 or visit them on the web at www.aupairinamerica.com.

May 15th, 2011. 12:00 to 3:00 pm

Where: 

Discovery Museum 
               4450 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT (exit 47 off the Merritt)

Who’s Invited: 

Host families, friends and au pairs.

Admissions: 3 Years- 17 Years $8/ Adults $9.50.  

  Mention AU PAIR IN AMERICA and get in Free- first 400 entrants.

Au Pairs from around the globe will showcase their countries, introducing visitors to other cultures through interesting and fun displays. Anyone interested in learning about  the Au Pair in America program is invited. For more information, email me at lgburger@optonline.net.

 *FYI – This post will remain at the top of my blog until the Cultural Fair.  

Join us for 31 Cent Scoop Night at Baskin-Robbins® and help us honor America’s firefighters. The Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation is donating $100,000 to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation® (NFFF).

Participating stores will reduce prices of ice cream scoops to 31 cents*. At some locations, you may also have an opportunity to make a donation to your local fire charities.    5 PM- 10 PM.

Celebrate Earth Day, April 22

 On April 22 we’re inviting everyone to bring in a reusable mug or tumbler and get a free brewed coffee or tea. Your choice of brew, hot or iced – it is spring after all! This is happening at participating STARBUCKS in the United States and Canada.

Why are we doing this? We recognize the impact one can make through careful, conscious choices. So we want to encourage and reward those of you who use tumblers or travel mugs in your daily routines. You’re helping to reduce our environmental impact!

If you don’t have a tumbler or travel mug, they will be available for 20% off on Earth Day, April 22. Just so you know, anytime you bring in your own tumbler or travel mug to a participating Starbucks, you get 10 cents off your drink every day.

What if you can’t bring in a mug and don’t want to buy a new one? That’s okay too. Just request your coffee or tea in one of our “for-here” cups and we’ll pick up the tab.

Last year, when we did a similar promotion on Earth Day, more than 1.2 million of you participated. .

Although reusable serveware and tumbler use still only accounts for a small percentage of total beverages served, those of you who did bring in reusable mugs still made a significant impact. In 2010, people brought their own tumblers into our stores more than 32 million times, keeping nearly 1.45 million pounds of paper out of landfills.

This is a good day for children to learn about how their body works, and to discuss good health habits. Remind them about the importance of covering their mouth when they cough or sneeze and to always wash their hands before they eat.

Below, form the WHO web site:

We live in an era of medical breakthroughs with new wonder drugs available to treat conditions that a few decades ago, or even a few years ago in the case of HIV/AIDS, would have proved fatal. For World Health Day 2011, WHO ( World Health Organization) will launch a worldwide campaign to safeguard these medicines for future generations. Antimicrobial resistance and its global spread threaten the continued effectiveness of many medicines used today to treat the sick, while at the same time it risks jeopardizing important advances being made against major infectious killers.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day- In America, everyone seems to be Irish today! 

Be sure to try a green bagel ( made with green food dye, not Spinich)

“May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,

May good luck pursue you each morning and night.” ~Irish Blessing

Today is International Women’s Day.http://www.internationalwomensday.com 

International Women’s Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women’s Day is a national holiday.   This is the 100th year celebration.