Edinburgh at 900

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 12 December 2024 > Celebrate Shine Bright Collège

Scotland’s capital is celebrating its 900th birthday! Edinburgh was one of the five royal burghs founded by King David I in 1124. From a small town in the Middle Ages, it has enlarged to a diverse city of 500,000 people. The contrasting medieval Old Town culminating in the Castle high on a volcanic rock and … Continue reading “Edinburgh at 900”

Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 11 December 2024 > Celebrate

2024 saw the 60th edition of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award organised by the Natural History Museum in London. Entries come from amateur and professional photographers from around the world and three of the categories are reserved for children and teenagers. The winning photo above is just one of the amazing images captured … Continue reading “Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year”

Bilingual Book Prize

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 10 December 2024 > Celebrate

A new literary prize has been awarded for the first time. The Entente Littéraire prize celebrates books aimed at teenagers and young adults translated from English to be published in French or translated from French and published in English. The prize is championed by the UK’s Queen Camilla and France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron, to … Continue reading “Bilingual Book Prize”

James Baldwin Centenary

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 26 September 2024 > Celebrate

2024 marks the centennial of the birth of James Baldwin, novelist, poet, playwright, essayist, civil-rights campaigner and social critic, as well as self-proclaimed American “Native Son”. Born in 1924 in Harlem, New York, Baldwin grew up in poverty, the eldest of nine children. Harlem was home to many black families who had moved from the … Continue reading “James Baldwin Centenary”

Paris 2024 Paralympics

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 26 August 2024 > Celebrate

Here’s a quick guide to the 17th Paralympic Games in Paris. Since the first games for disabled athletes in 1948 to the first official Paralympics in Rome in 1960 to today’s games, the size and the exposure of the games has increased enormously. In Rome, 400 athletes from 23 countries participated in eight sports. Since … Continue reading “Paris 2024 Paralympics”

Becoming American on the Fourth of July

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 01 July 2024 > Celebrate

Independence Day is a celebration for all Americans, but for some it has special significance. It’s a traditional day for holding naturalisation ceremonies, welcoming new citizens to the U.S.A. A total of 878,500 people obtained U.S. citizenship through naturalisation in 2023. Ceremonies take place all year round, but a lot take place in honour of … Continue reading “Becoming American on the Fourth of July”

Let’s Dance at the Olympics

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 27 June 2024 > Celebrate

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games welcomes a new sport: breaking, or break dancing. Breaking originated in the Bronx in the 1970s. It has its roots in hip-hop culture, but has long been a competitive sport. In Paris, 16 men and 16 women (known as “B-Boys” and “B-Girls”) will engage in an epic battle for the … Continue reading “Let’s Dance at the Olympics”

Operation Overlord: the Turning Point of World War II

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 06 June 2024 > Celebrate

On June 6, 1944 at dawn, Operation Overlord, the largest airborne and naval offensive in history, was launched by the Allied forces to open a second front in Western Europe against Nazi Germany. After months of titanic preparations mobilising nearly 5 million men and immense logistics, an armada of 4,300 landing ships and 500 warships, … Continue reading “Operation Overlord: the Turning Point of World War II”