The Ultimate Planning guide/calendar for Publishers, Editors, Journalists, Broadcasters, Educators, Brand Managers, Advertising and Public Relations Professionals. Includes: 449 Individual Daily Events, 179 National & International Weekly Events, 332 Monthly events and 75 religious holidays. I'm sure you've noticed the parade of events, holidays and observances over the years. Today is National Health Day; this week is World Walk to School week; next month is International Bean Sprout Month. IF YOU ARE A JOURNALIST, EDITOR OR PUBLISHER: Use this calendar to plan features around topics that fit your market; Use it to discover traditions you may not know exist; Use it to identify issues currently receiving extra attention; Use it to identify potential feature stories; Use it for little trivia notations and 'Did you know' embellishments; Use it to create a sense of urgency and an entre to reach difficult sources; Use it to collect additional facts on that topic for future stories; Use it to identify trends. _______________________ IF YOU ARE A MARKETER: Use it to generate more revenue. If an organization has set aside a specific month, day or week, find out if additional Co-op dollars are available from manufactures to capitalize upon that event. Check with the regional managers of companies and organizations that are affected by the special event. Often they will have funds set aside to increase awareness that you can use to develop a promotion or event dovetailing with the national or international event. Use the calendar for advertising and promotional planning with agencies and individual companies. Most marketing is planned 6-18 months in advance. Traditionally fiscal years begin in September and budgets are finalized in July and August for the next year. The heightened awareness due to the PR push will make their products/services more desirable during that time. Use it to bring in new advertisers. The calendar is a tremendous ice breaker for new business development and a great strategy for securing that first meeting. Use it to plan your own PR push for new products and services. For example, if you are releasing a book on Diabetes, October and November have several weekly, daily and monthly events designed to bring awareness to the public about Diabetes maintenance, treatment, avoidance and living with the disease. This would be the ideal time to plan a book tour. _____________________ IF YOU ARE AN EDUCATOR: Use it for History: Many of the days mark historic events that impact how we live today. Use it to foster creativity: Have the students come up with ways to acknowledge a specific day like 'Do a Grouch a Favor Day', 'Random Acts of Kindness Day' or 'Incredible Kid Day' Use it to engage curiosity: International Literacy Day Use it to explore other cultures and traditions: What is Diwali and how is it celebrated? Use it to learn about global issues: World Indigenous Peoples Day This is a calendar of ideas. Each year we'll add more events and points of interest. There are thousands of special weeks and days. My hope is this calendar will make your life a little easier, whether you work in the media, market products or teach future generations. WHERE DO THE DATES COME FROM? Month, Week and Day designations come from a variety of sources. INTERNATIONAL OBSERVANCES: Most of the Global events in this calendar are from the United Nations and various NGO's. These institutions and entities have designated specific days, weeks or months to raise awareness to a specific issue like clean water, ending slavery and human rights. NATIONAL OBSERVANCES come from the US Government or various professional/business associations and interests groups. Most of these health, patriotic, historical or lifestyle related. RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES including Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim.