Cultural Heritage
Entrance wall to the City of David in Jerusalem, Israel. Photo: Tonya Fitzpatrick World Footprints will explore Biblical history at the City of David, Namibia's political, economic and natural landscape and small town treasures that offer a taste of Sicily and more. According to Hebrew tradition, the area outside of the Old City Walls of Jerusalem is considered to be the center of the world. World Footprints will explore that theory and Biblical history with Zev Orenstein at the City of David. We'll also examine new archaeology discoveries that support the existence of King David. Namibian desert. Photo: Ian Fitzpatrick Namibia is a country is great diversity. The country is home to wildlife that can't be found anywhere else in Africa and it vast desert landscapes. While at the Mount Etjo Safari Lodge, we break bread with Eric Reindhart of Nambia Tracks and Trails to learn more about [...]
On April 22th of each year, millions of people around the world celebrate Earth Day. This day is regarded by many to mark the birth of the modern environmental movement.
In 1922, the nation known as the Irish Free State came into existence when 26 counties on the island of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom. The remaining six counties, having a larger Protestant, pro-British or Loyalist population, remained within the United Kingdom as Northern Ireland. During the following 27 years, the King George VI of the United Kingdom continued to exercise formal diplomatic relations on behalf of Ireland.
On April 11, 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson made history by signing the 1968 Civil Rights Act into law.
On April 10, 1912 the RMS Titanic set sail on its maiden voyage. The ship departed Southampton, England, bound for New York City, New York, with Captain Edward J. Smith in command and 2,223 people aboard. The Titanic stopped in France and Ireland to pick up additional passengers. Among the passengers were many famous names: John Jacob Astor and his wife; Denver millionairess Margaret "Molly" Brown; Benjamin Guggenheim; Macy's owner Isidor Straus along with the White Star Line's director J. Bruce Ismay and the ship's builder Thomas Andrews. In the Titanic, there were three classes of passengers; many in third class were Irish and British immigrants looking to a new life in America. On Sunday, April 14, the ship altered course slightly south in response to iceberg warnings. A number of subsequent warnings from other ships were received, but not acted upon. At 11:40 pm, lookouts spotted an iceberg directly [...]
General Robert Edward Lee commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War. When Lee took command in 1862 he emerged as a shrewd tactician and battlefield commander and won most of his battles against superior Union armies.
The Irish Government Bill of 1886 was the British parliament's first substantial attempt to create home rule for Ireland. It was introduced on April 8, 1886 by Prime Minister William Gladstone for the purpose of creating a devolved Irish assembly. The Irish Parliamentary Party under Charles Stewart Parnell had been campaigning for home rule for Ireland since the 1870s. The bill, like his Irish Land Act 1870, was very much the work of Gladstone, who excluded both the Irish MPs and his own ministers from participation in the drafting.
The World Health Organization (WHO) was established by the United Nations to act as an international coordinating authority on April 7, 1948. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, WHO succeeded the role of the Health Organization, its predecessor under the League of Nations.
The Games of the I Olympiad were held from April 6 to April 15, 1896 in Athens, Greece, the first Olympic Games in modern times. The first Olympics, or "I Olympiad" also established the International Olympic Committee.
Young men once rode horses to carry mail from Missouri to California in the unprecedented time of only 10 days! This relay system along the Pony Express National Historic Trail crossing eight states was the most direct and practical means of east-west communications in 1860. From Missouri to California the Pony Express riders could deliver a letter faster than ever before.
Along with the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid, there may be no more instantly recognizable man-made structure than the Eiffel Tower, inaugurated on this date in 1889. The grand tower was built for the Universal Exhibition held that year in celebration of the French Revolution.
Today on World Footprints we celebrate Canada’s Francophone roots in the Quebec region as we walk in the footsteps of history at the New France Festival in Quebec City. Plus, we’ll visit an Augustinian Monastery turned holistic spa and we’ll talk to an Old World wine merchant.
