Showing posts with label Tunisia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tunisia. Show all posts

November 12 - Peace-Keeping Organizations: Leaving or Joining?

Posted on November 12, 2020

On this date in 1933, Germans voted on their nation's withdrawal from the League of Nations. The League of Nations had been created after World War I with the intent of using diplomatic talks to solve conflicts between countries.

In other words, it was an attempt to create a global peace-keeping organization.


Nazi Germany, of course, didn't value peace as much as some do - and their withdrawal from the League, a few years before they began to take over and/or attack other nations, was a signal of their disregard for peace.

There was some pressure on the German voters to "ratify" or approve the withdrawal with a referendum vote. Almost all of the voters showed up to the polls (more than 96% turnout!), and almost all of them (95%) voted to approve leaving the League of Nations.


On this date in 1956, Morocco and Sudan and Tunisia all joined the United Nations - the world's second, and more successful, attempt at a peacekeeping organization. On this date in 1968, Equatorial Guinea joined the U.N., and on this date in 1975, the Comoros joined. These five African nations joining on the November 12, but in different years - is that coincidence? Design?

Above, Morocco
Below, Sudan


Above, Tunisia
Below, Equatorial Guinea


Above, Comoros

Note that loads and loads of African nations joined the U.N. on different dates, from Togo's joining on 9/20/1960 to Namibia's on 4/23/1990.


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October 15 – Evacuation Day in Tunisia

Posted October 15, 2019


October 15, 1963:

The last of the French forces left Tunisia after around 75 years of colonization (which included the World War II years, after France was occupied by Nazis, rule by the collaborator Vichy government and a short period of Tunisia being occupied by Nazis as well!). Actually, Tunisia became independent in 1956, not 1963, but it took seven years for French forces to slowly leave the nation as it developed its own independent forces.

Tunisians celebrate the anniversary as Evacuation Day!

In earlier posts, I've written about Tunisia's amazing Roman ruins, its connection with Star Wars films, and women's rights in the nation. Today I'd like to highlight a few of the natural beauties of the place where sand meets sky and rock meets water:








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April 9 - Martyrs' Day in Tunisia

Posted on April 9, 2018


The thing about Martyrs' Days is, they're always solemn occasions. They're all about honoring people who died in the cause of _____ [fill in the blank].

 In today's case, Tunisians are honoring those who died fighting for their independence from France, which the nation finally won in 1956.

 April 9 was chosen because on April 9, 1938, a group of independent-minded Tunisians led by a lawyer named Habib Bourguiba clashed with French troops. Hundreds of Tunisians were injured and at least 22 died.

 Of course, eventually Tunisians did prevail, and the nation is now independent. It's also...

 ...The northernmost nation of Africa. It juts a bit farther north into the Mediterranean Sea than its neighbors Algeria and Libya.


...Home of a lot of Carthaginian and Roman ruins.
Above and below, Carthage

Above and below, Roman ruins


 ...The location of several Star Wars sets. 




The desert planet Tataooine was inspired by (and partially filmed in) Tataouine, Tunisia. 

Star Wars fans can stay in a hotel that was once the filming location of Luke Skywalker's home. The bar has a lot of Star Wars memorabilia for sale and a menu inspired by the movies.


Ben's hermitage is used by fishermen as storage.

Toshi Station is actually a temple. 

Tatooine slave quarters are actually a grain storage facility.

The exterior of Luke's home now sits empty in the desert.

Mos Epsa was also a set that was built out in the middle of a desert, and Tunisians have mostly left it alone because they like the tourism dollars that it can earn. 


...The movie set location for Raiders of the Lost Ark and a few other films, as well as Star Wars. Raiders crew members had to remove 300 TV antennas for a rooftop scene (the film was set in 1936), and then of course, when they were done with the scene, they had to reattach all those antennas.



Also on this date:
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