What’s Happening Today?

World Kidney Day (WKD). This is a global health awareness campaign focusing on the importance of the kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide. World Kidney Day is observed annually on the 2nd Thursday in March. At the start of this holiday, 66 countries observed this date in 2006. Within two years, this number rose to 88. WKD is a joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF). This holiday was intended to raise awareness about conditions of the kidney; although many are treatable, they are a secondary medical concern of the greater population.

World Day of Muslim Culture, Peace, Dialogue and Film. It was created in 2010 by Javed Mohammed, a San Francisco bay area based writer-producer and founder of MyFavoriteReview who proclaimed the day and week of March 11 each year as a special observance to share and discuss Muslim culture. The goal of the week according to the Pakistan Times is to use culture, art, and film to create bridges and dialogue of understanding.

World Plumbing Day. It is a date that has been fixed on the calendars of the World Plumbing community since its establishment by the WPC in 2010 and is now a fixture on the calendars of political and social institutions around the globe. The international plumbing community, as represented by the Council, has a vital role in promoting the link between good quality plumbing, health, environmental sustainability and increasingly, economic prosperity.

What Happened Today?

1. In 1990, Lithuania became the first Soviet Republic to declare its independence. The Baltic country's secession marked an important step in the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

2. In 2004, 191 people died as several bombs exploded on Madrid commuter trains. The bombings were conducted by an Islamist terrorist cell and came 3 days before Spain's general elections.

3. In 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster struck Japan. The nuclear meltdowns occurred after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami. It was the worst nuclear accident since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

Birthdays

1. 1969 – Terrence Howard, American actor, rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer. 

2. 1978 – Didier Drogba Tebily, retired Ivory Coast football legend and former Chelsea and Marseille player.

Sources: Wikipedia & checkiday.com