Doodle 4 Google: Declaration of Independence

Showing posts with label Declaration of Independence. Show all posts

Austrian National Holiday/Declaration of Neutrality

Source: http://www.google.com/logos/2010/austria10-hp.gif

The Declaration of Neutrality was a declaration by the Austrian Parliament declaring the country permanently neutral. It was enacted on 26 October 1955 as a constitutional act of parliament, i.e., as part of the Constitution of Austria.

Formally, the declaration was promulgated voluntarily by the Republic of Austria. Politically, it was the direct consequence of the allied occupation by the Soviet Union, the United States, the United Kingdom and France between 1945 and 1955, from which the country was freed by the Austrian State Treaty of 15 May the same year. The Soviet Union would not have agreed to the State Treaty if Austria had not committed itself to declare its neutrality after the allied forces had left the country.

Since 1955, neutrality has become a deeply ingrained element of Austrian identity. Austria's national holiday on 26 October commemorates the declaration. Legally, Austrian neutrality is both part of the Austrian constitution and of international law. There is an ongoing debate among legal scholars whether Austria could change this neutral status on its own account. This is a moot point, however, since there is no political or popular support for doing so.

However the opinion of Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen is that his country is no longer neutral due to EU membership and its Common Foreign and Security Policy. It is unknown to what extent other EU states such as Austria agree with this analysis

Ukraine's Independence Day

Source: http://www.google.com/logos/2010/ukraine10-hp.gif

The Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Акт проголошення незалежності України, translit. Akt proholoshennya nezalezhnosti Ukrayini) was adopted by the Ukrainian parliament on August 24, 1991. The Act established Ukraine as an independent, democratic state.

The Act was adopted in the aftermath of the August 19th coup attempt when conservative Communist leaders of the Soviet Union tried to restore central Communist party control over the USSR. In response, the parliament of the Ukrainian SSR in a special Saturday session overwhelmingly approved the Act of Declaration. The Act passed with 321 votes in favor, 2 votes against, and 6 abstentions. The author of the text was Levko Lukyanenko.

The same day (August 24), the parliament called for a referendum on support for the Declaration of Independence. The proposal for calling the national referendum came jointly from majority leader Oleksandr Moroz and opposition leader Ihor Yukhnovsky.

In the independence referendum on December 1, 1991, the people of Ukraine expressed widespread support for the Act of Declaration of Independence, with more than 90% voting in favor, and 82% of the electorate participating. Shortly after, the independence of Ukraine was recognized worldwide.

Since 1992, August 24th is celebrated in Ukraine as Independence Day. [Read more on Wikipedia]

Philippines Independence Day

Source: http://www.google.com/logos/philippinesind2010-hp.gif

The Philippine Declaration of Independence occurred on June 12, 1898 in Cavite II el Viejo (now Kawit), Cavite, Philippines. With the public reading of the Act of the Declaration of Independence, Filipino revolutionary forces under General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the sovereignty and independence of the Philippine Islands from the colonial rule of Spain, which had been recently defeated at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War.

The declaration, however, was neither recognized by the United States nor Spain. The Spanish government later ceded the Philippines to the United States in the 1898 Treaty of Paris that ended the Spanish-American War. The United States finally recognized Philippine independence on July 4, 1946 in the Treaty of Manila. July 4 was observed in the Philippines as Independence Day until August 4, 1964 when, upon the advice of historians and the urging of nationalists, President Diosdado Macapagal signed into law Republic Act No. 4166 designating June 12 as the country's Independence Day. June 12 had previously been observed as Flag Day and many government buildings are urged to display the Philippine Flag in their offices. [Read more on Wikipedia]

Happy Independence Day Estonia!

It's Independence Day in Estonia and the celebrations are going on in full force. Morning parades, the presidential reception, festive parties, and of course national flags abound throughout the country.

The orkut team wanted to show our appreciation for our Estonian members and created a special doodle to mark the occasion:

The Estonian Declaration of Independence, also known as the Manifesto to the Peoples of Estonia (Estonian: Manifest Eestimaa rahwastele), is the founding act of the Republic of Estonia from 1918. It is celebrated on 24 February, the National Day or Estonian Independence Day.

The declaration was drafted by the Salvation Committee elected by the elders of the Estonian Provincial Assembly. Originally intended to be proclaimed on 21 February 1918, the proclamation was delayed until the evening of 23 February, when the manifesto was printed and read out aloud publicly in Pärnu. On the next day, 24 February, the manifesto was printed and distributed in the capital, Tallinn. [Read more on Wikipedia]