Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare

The Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, at its 20th Session, decided that a memorial Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare would be observed on 30 November each year or, when appropriate, on the first day of the regular session of the Conference. This commemoration provides an opportunity to pay tribute to the victims of chemical warfare, as well as to reaffirm the commitment of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to the elimination of the threat of chemical weapons, thereby promoting the goals of peace, security, and multilateralism.

Saint Andrews Day

Though Scotland shares custody of Saint Andrew with Greece, Russia, Amalfi and Barbados, the Scottish people celebrate their saintly icon on 30 November in a style all of their own. According to Christian teachings, Saint Andrew was one of Jesus Christ’s twelve disciples. He and his brother, Simon Peter (today venerated as the first Pope of the Roman Catholic Church) were fishermen in Galilee, now modern-day Israel, when they met Jesus Christ and became his first disciples. Like Jesus, he was ultimately martyred for his beliefs, but Andrew is said to have refused a T-shape cross, deeming himself unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as Jesus Christ. Instead, he was nailed upon an X-shaped cross on 30 November 60AD in Greece, and thus the diagonal cross of the saltire was adopted as his symbol, and the last day in November designated his saint day.