2008

2008 is the current year and it's a leap year that started on Tuesday. It seems it will be another important year for Lovia, following on 2007 and preceeding 2009. In Lovia Prime Minister Yuri Medvedev and King Dimitri I governed the country in 2008.

Designations
2008 has been designated as:
 * International Year of Languages
 * International Year of Planet Earth
 * International Year of the Potato
 * International Year of Sanitation
 * European Year of Intercultural Dialogue (more here)
 * Year of the Frog, as declared by the international conservation initiative Amphibian Ark.

In the world

 * January
 * 1 - Cyprus, Malta, and Akrotiri and Dhekelia adopt the euro.
 * 20 - Presidential election in Serbia.
 * 20 - Legislative elections in Cuba.
 * 24 - Iraqi Parliament adopts a new flag of Iraq, removing three stars associated with the Baath Party; a permanent design is expected within the next year.
 * 24 - Prime Minister of Italy Romano Prodi resigned his post, after he lost the vote of confidence in the Senate.
 * 27 - Novak Đoković and Maria Sharapova won 2008 Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia.
 * February
 * 1 - Libertan Vice President Dimitri Neyt and King of Lovia Dimitri I visit France.
 * 1 - Microsoft offers $44.6 billion to buy Yahoo!.
 * 3 - The New York Giants defeat the New England Patriots, 17-14, in Super Bowl XLII.
 * 5 - Super Tuesday, massive multi-state primary in U.S. presidential election, with primaries and caucuses in 24 states, is held.
 * 9 - Camden Market area in London, United Kingdom is devastated by fire, causing evacuations in nearby houses and flats.
 * 16 - Making his first trip to Africa since 2003, U.S. President George W. Bush arrives in Benin, with stops in Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, and Liberia coming in the days ahead.
 * 17 - Kosovo formally declares independence from Serbia, despite opposition from Serbia, Russia, China, Spain, Romania, and other nations. However Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, U.K., and U.S. express support after an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
 * 19 - Fidel Castro announces his resignation as President of Cuba, to be effective on February 24.
 * 20 - Total lunar eclipse - North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Western Asia.
 * 24 - Raúl Castro is unanimously elected as President of Cuba by the National Assembly.
 * 24 - The 80th Academy Awards, hosted by Jon Stewart, are held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California, with 'No Country for Old Men' winning Best Picture.
 * March
 * 1 - Singapore Flyer, the world's tallest ferris wheel, opens to the public.
 * 2 - 2008 Russian presidential election: Dmitry Medvedev is elected President of Russia with about 70% of the vote. He is scheduled to succeed Vladimir Putin in May.
 * 6 - Eight Israeli civilians are killed and nine wounded when a Palestinian attacker opens fire at a Jewish seminary in Jerusalem.
 * 14 - Demonstrations by Tibetan separatists turn violent, with rioters targeting government and Han Chinese-owned buildings.
 * 14 - Queen Elizabeth II officially opens the new Terminal 5 at London Heathrow Airport.
 * 14 - Legislative election in Iran.
 * 17 - David Paterson is sworn in as the first black Governor of New York (and the fourth ever in the U.S.) after Eliot Spitzer resigns amidst a prostitution scandal.
 * 17 - In Adelaide, South Australia, a 15-day heatwave, a once-in-3,000-years occurrence, comes to an end.
 * 20 - A permanent coalition government agreement is reached in Belgium, ending a nine-month stalemate, as Yves Leterme is sworn in as Prime Minister.
 * 21 - In Tibet, East Asia, Anti-Chinese Protest's death toll rises to 99.
 * 22 - Republic of China presidential election was held in Taiwan.
 * 24 - Libertas' National Holiday: celebration of the independence. Libertas revives after months of inactivity.
 * 25 - African Union and Comoros forces invade the rebel-held island of Anjouan.
 * 29 - Earth Hour (8 - 9 PM local time) in 60 cities and surrounding regions around the world.

In Lovia

 * January
 * 9 - The Federal Charity Fund is erected as the Charity Fund Act is adopted to the Federal Law by Congressmen.
 * February
 * 1 - Inauguration Day: the Prime Minister and all Members of the Congress and Federal Secretaries are inaugurated.
 * 1 - Libertan Vice President Dimitri Neyt and King of Lovia Dimitri I visit France.
 * 17 - Two Federal Law proposals are accepted with an absolute majority in Congress: the National Parks and Monuments Act and the Patriot Act.
 * 24 - The Newhaven International Airport, the second largest in Lovia, is totally renovated.
 * March
 * 2 - The Trans Sylvanian Railway between Train Village and Noble City opens.
 * 2 - The Pacific Railroad Company is founded by and Pierlot McCrooke as the first Lovian railway company.
 * 5 - The Peace Island Railway, the second railway on Peace Island opens and runs between Hurbanova and Noble City.
 * 11 - Patrick McKinley resigns as Member of the Congress, Secretary of Transportation, Mayor of Kinley and candidate governor of Seven.
 * 16 - Many Lovian companies donate high amounts of money to the Federal Charity Fund, including the King's Trust and the Administration Office Aesopus
 * 30 - Locals in Hurbanova protest against the royal power and two protestants are kept prisoner for some time for violence and vandalism.
 * 31 - The Noble City neighborhood The Mall officially reopens after severe renovations.
 * 31 - Prime Minister Yuri Medvedev's proposal on labor was accepted by Congress and adopted in the Federal Law.
 * 31 - The diplomatic crisis following on the declaration of independence of Hurbanova explodes and finally slows down after Oos Wes Ilava's apologies and the diplomatic armistice between Lovia, Hurbanova, Mäöres and the other UWN members. Relationships with Adlibita have worsened however.
 * 31 - Better Lovia, the second political party in the nation is founded, as a reaction on the Hurbanova crisis. Founding members are Alexandru Latin, Oos Wes Ilava and Marius Stefan.
 * April
 * 1 - The new railroad scheme of the Pacific Railroad Company is officially enacted and a new map is presented.

Deaths

 * January
 * February
 * March

Births

 * January
 * February
 * March

2008 European Year of Intercultural Dialogue
Dialogue is a delicate process. Many obstacles inhibit dialogue and favor more confrontational communication forms such as discussion and debate. Common obstacles including fear, the display or exercise of power, mistrust, external influences, distractions, and poor communication conditions can all prevent dialogue from emerging.

Intercultural dialogue has long been a principle supported by the European Union and its Institutions. The year 2008 has been designated European Year of Intercultural Dialogue by the European Parliament and the Member States of the European Union. It aims to draw the attention of people in Europe to the importance of dialogue within diversity and between diverse cultures.

Definiton
There is no single and universally accepted definition of Intercultural Dialogue. However, a forum organised by the Council of Europe in November 2006 suggested the following:
 * an open and respectful exchange of views between individuals and groups belonging to different cultures that leads to a deeper understanding of the other’s world perception.
 * Other definitions or usages have been closer to concepts such as inter-religious dialogue and often to active citizenship learning. In a number of countries the phrase refers to dialogue between indigenous people and immigrant peoples, and it can also be used as a metaphor for forms of contact between countries which are not based on military power.

The text adopted by the European Union on the "European Year of Intercultural Dialogue" does not use any specific definition, but it underlines the role of intercultural dialogue in:


 * respect for cultural diversity in the complex societies of today
 * the role of dialogue and greater mutual understanding in developing equal opportunities for all
 * supporting the EU's commitment to solidarity and social justice
 * enabling the EU to forge partnerships with other countries and make its voice better heard in the world.