Our Lady of Altagracia

Our Lady of Altagracia holiday, also known as the Day of the Lady of Altagracia, is a holiday celebrated on January 21 by Dominicans everywhere. This day is dedicated to honoring the Virgin Mary, and particularly a 16th-century portrait of her, which currently resides in the city of Salvaleón de Higüey in the Dominican Republic. ‘Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia,’ as it is called in Spanish, is one of two days celebrating the Virgin Mary in the country, with the other being Our Lady of Mercedes Day on September 24.

Signing of the Peace Accords

The Signing of the Peace Accords is a yearly commemorative event held on January 12 — the day the Chapultepec Peace Accords were signed in El Salvador in 1992, bringing an end to a decades-long Civil War. After being ravaged by the Salvadoran government and their opposition for more than 12 years, Salvadorans finally had a measure of peace with the signing of these agreements. With this, all sides mutually agreed on a ceasefire that was not officially broken for many years, allowing the country to rebuild and re-emerge from the ashes of war.

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day in Haiti is held on January 12 each year to pay tribute to the victims of the January 2010 earthquake. A natural disaster that devastated the nation, the 2010 earthquake caused immense destruction to life and property and led to around 300,000 lives lost, according to the Haitian government, although an official death toll remains uncertain. The ‘Jour De Remembrance,’ as it is called in French, one of the two official languages used in Haiti, commemorates all the Haitians and others who fell victim to this devastating earthquake.