Valkenswaard Flower Parade

The Valkenswaard Flower Parade is an annual event in Valkenswaard, North Brabant, held on the second Sunday of September (September 14 in 2025). 

It is one of the largest dahlia parades in the world, with floats decorated with millions of dahlias paraded through the town center. 

The parade attracts tens of thousands of visitors and includes a parade with 14 parade groups, music, theater, and a street market. 

The theme for 2025 has not yet been announced, but the event is known for its creative and colorful designs. 

The parade has a long tradition, is rooted in the community, and is organized by volunteers, with a focus on sustainability and local involvement.

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Ohangwena

Ohangwena is one of the fourteen regions of Namibia, located in the north on the border with Angola. 

The capital is Eenhana. 

With a population of approximately 338,000 (2023), it is the second most populous region in Namibia. 

The region relies largely on subsistence agriculture, particularly mahangu cultivation and livestock farming. 

It has a subtropical climate, is prone to flooding and drought, and covers an area of 10,703 km². 

Major towns include Eenhana, Helao Nafidi, and Okongo. Ohangwena is a stronghold of the SWAPO party and has 234 schools and a regional library. 

The region played a significant role in the Namibian War of Independence.

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Fruit Parade Tiel

The Fruit Parade Tiel is an annual event in Tiel, Gelderland, held on the last weekend of September. 

It is a colorful parade of floats decorated with fruit, vegetables, and seeds, built by volunteers from the Betuwe region. 

The parade, held since 1961, attracts around 80,000 visitors and includes a large parade on Saturday, including an illuminated "Corso by Night," and an exhibition on Sunday and Monday. 

The event, recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2013, celebrates the Betuwe harvest and creativity, with additional activities such as a children's parade, fruit mosaics, and the Betuwe Harvest Week.

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Solar Eclipse

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, partially or completely blocking sunlight. 

There are three types: total (the sun is completely covered), partial (only part of the sun is covered), and annular (the moon reveals a ring of sunlight around its edge). 

They are rare in specific locations and attract considerable interest because of their spectacular appearance. 

Safe viewing requires special eclipse glasses. 

The next total solar eclipse is on March 29, 2026, visible in parts of Europe, including the Netherlands (partially).

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Diamond Cutter's Craft

The craft of diamond cutter involves processing rough diamonds into polished gemstones for jewelry. 

This precision work requires expert craftsmanship and includes processes such as cutting, sawing, cleaving, polishing, and setting. 

Diamond cutters use specialized tools and techniques to optimize the diamond's brilliance, clarity, and shape, often according to the "4 Cs" (carat, cut, clarity, color). 

The craft, with historical roots in cities like Antwerp and Amsterdam, requires years of training and is crucial in the jewelry industry. 

Modern technology, such as lasers, supports traditional methods.

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Chaouia-Ouardigha

Chaouia-Ouardigha was a former administrative region of Morocco (1997-2015), located in the north-central part of the country, within the historical Chaouia region. 

Its capital was Settat. 

The region, known for its agriculture (grain and sheep), was split after 2015: the province of Khouribga went to Béni Mellal-Khénifra, and the provinces of Benslimane, Berrechid, and Settat went to Casablanca-Settat. 

The name "Chaouia" refers to "land of the shepherds." 

The region has a rich history of Arab and Berber influences and experienced a strong uprising against the French in 1907.

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Figure skating

Figure skating is a traditional Dutch skating technique that emphasizes elegance, grace, and technical perfection rather than speed. 

It is characterized by flowing, harmonious movements, with skaters performing long, smooth strokes in a bent posture, often in pairs. 

Originally popular in the 19th century, especially in Friesland, it was a social activity where style and aesthetics were paramount. 

Today, figure skating is still practiced recreationally and for demonstration purposes, often on natural ice and sometimes in competitions where posture, technique, and synchrony are judged. 

It is closely linked to Dutch skating and ice culture.

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Kedah

Kedah, officially Kedah Darul Aman, is a state in northwestern Malaysia, bordering Thailand, Perlis, Penang, and Perak. 

With an area of 9,425 km², it comprises the mainland, known for its rice paddies ("the rice bowl of Malaysia"), and the Langkawi Islands, a tourist attraction. 

Historically known as Kadaram, it was an important trading post since 788 BC, with traces of Hindu-Buddhist civilization in the Bujang Valley, possibly the oldest in Southeast Asia. 

Kedah was part of Srivijaya, was attacked by the Cholas in the 11th century, and Islamized around 1474.

It was a Thai vassal state and later a British protectorate (1909) until independence in 1957. 

The capital is Alor Setar, with Sungai Petani and Kulim as major towns.

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Hindeloopen Culture

Hindeloopen culture is a unique, traditional culture from Hindeloopen, a small town in Friesland with approximately 875 inhabitants. 

Known for its maritime history as a Zuiderzee port, Hindeloopen has its own dialect (Hindeloopers), traditional costumes, and art forms. 

The culture is characterized by colorful, hand-painted furniture and textiles with floral motifs, inspired by 17th-century trade with the Far East. 

The traditional costumes, with rich fabrics and jewelry, are still worn on special occasions.

In addition, Hindeloopen speed skating, a short-track race on natural ice, is a beloved tradition. 

The Hindeloopen Museum highlights this heritage, while the small, close-knit community keeps the culture alive.

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South Sudan

South Sudan, independent since 2011, is the world's youngest country, located in East Africa, with Juba as its capital. 

With 12 million inhabitants, it faces ongoing crises due to civil wars, ethnic tensions, and natural disasters such as flooding. 

Economically dependent on oil, it has limited infrastructure and widespread poverty. 

More than half the population requires humanitarian assistance, with severe food insecurity and health problems such as malaria.

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