18 July - Nelson Mandela International Day

Nelson Mandela Day seeks to celebrate the political and social achievements of former South African President Nelson Mandela. Mandela, who spent three decades in prison for his political activism, became the first black president of the Republic of South Africa in 1994. His presidency ended the long-standing apartheid in which whites ruled over blacks and saw the birth of democracy and equality among all citizens. He was also active in combatting poverty, encouraging land reform, expanding health services, supporting education and setting an example of peace, anti-racism and human rights adherence for other nations.

Nelson Mandela International Day was designated by the United Nations and the Nelson Mandela Foundation in 2009. It is celebrated on Mandela's birthday, July 18th, in an effort to recognize the impact of Mandela's values and his contribution to humanity. Mandela passed away in December of 2013 at the age of 95.

18 July - W. G. Grace Cricket born in 1848

William Gilbert "W. G." Grace (18 July 1848 – 23 October 1915) was an English amateur cricketer who was important in the development of the sport and is widely considered one of its greatest-ever players. Generally known as "W. G.", he played first-class cricket for a record-equalling 44 seasons, from 1865 to 1908, during which he captained England, Gloucestershire, the Gentlemen, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the United South of England Eleven (USEE) and several other teams.

Right-handed as both batsman and bowler, Grace dominated the sport during his career. His technical innovations and enormous influence left a lasting legacy. An outstanding all-rounder, he excelled at all the essential skills of batting, bowling and fielding, but it is for his batting that he is most renowned. He is held to have invented modern batsmanship. Usually opening the innings, he was particularly admired for his mastery of all strokes, and his level of expertise was said by contemporary reviewers to be unique. He generally captained the teams he played for at all levels because of his skill and tactical acumen.

18 July - Rajesh Khanna death anniversary

Rajesh Khanna (born Jatin Khanna; 29 December 1942 – 18 July 2012) was an Indian actor, film producer and politician who is best known for his work in the Hindi cinema. He is referred to as the "First Superstar" of Indian cinema.He starred in 15 consecutive solo hit films from 1969 to 1971, a record unbroken.He was also one of the most successful actors in the history of Indian Cinema.

Khanna died on 18 July 2012, after a period of illness.He has been posthumously awarded India's third highest civilian honour, Padma Bhushan. He has also been honoured with a stamp and statue in his likeness, and a road renamed after him by the Prime Minister of India. In 2014, his biography Rajesh Khanna – The untold story of India's first Superstar by Yasser Usman was published by Penguin Books.

17 July - Apollo and Soyuz docked in space in 1975

On July 17, 1975, the U.S. spacecraft Apollo and the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 19 docked in space. The Apollo–Soyuz Test Project was the first joint U.S.–Soviet space flight, and the last flight of an Apollo spacecraft. Its primary purpose was as a symbol of the policy of detente that the two superpowers were pursuing at the time, and it marked the end of the Space Race between them that began in 1957.

17 July - Nicholas II death in 1918

Nicholas II or Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov (18 May 1868 – 17 July 1918), known in the Russian Orthodox Church as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer,was the last Emperor of All Russia, ruling from 1 November 1894 until his forced abdication on 15 March 1917. During his reign, the Russian Empire implemented reforms such as the first civil liberties in Russian history, literacy programs, state representation, modern infrastructures, the beginning of major Industrialization and military reforms after the defeat in the Russo-Japanese war (1904–1905). He was reviled by Soviet historians promoted by state propaganda as a weak and incompetent leader whose decisions led to military defeats and the deaths of millions of his subjects.

In 1979, the bodies of Tsar Nicholas II, Tsaritsa Alexandra, three of their daughters, and those of four non-family members killed with them, were discovered near Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg) by amateur archaeologist Alexander Avdonin.[156][157] In January 1998, the remains excavated from underneath the dirt road near Yekaterinburg were officially identified as those of Nicholas II and his family, excluding one daughter (either Maria or Anastasia) and Alexei. The identifications—including comparisons to a living relative, performed by separate Russian, British and American scientists using DNA analysis—concur and were found to be conclusive.
In July 2007, an amateur historian discovered bones near Yekaterinburg belonging to a boy and young woman.Prosecutors reopened the investigation into the deaths of the imperial family,[citation needed] and in April 2008, DNA tests performed by an American laboratory proved that bone fragments exhumed in the Ural Mountains belonged to two children of Nicholas II, Alexei and a daughter.That same day it was announced by Russian authorities that remains from the entire family had been recovered.

On 1 October 2008, the Supreme Court of Russia ruled that Nicholas II and his family were victims of political persecution and should be rehabilitated.In March 2009, results of the DNA testing were published, confirming that the two bodies discovered in 2007 were those of Alexei and one of his sisters.

In late 2015, at the insistence of the Russian Orthodox Church,Russian investigators exhumed the bodies of Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra, for additional DNA testing,which confirmed that the bones were of the couple.

17 July - World Emoji Day

World Emoji Day is celebrated on July 17 of every year. World Emoji Day is an unofficial holiday and global celebration of Emoji. The World Emoji Day is celebrated primarily on online. Emoji have used from the beginning of the internet to express our emotions in the written mode. The use of emoji has increased with the advancement of internet technology.

17 July - Disneyland Park (Disneyland) opened in 1955

Disneyland Park, originally Disneyland, is the first of two theme parks built at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, opened on July 17, 1955. It is the only theme park designed and built to completion under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. It was originally the only attraction on the property; its official name was changed to Disneyland Park to distinguish it from the expanding complex in the 1990s. It was the first Disney theme park.

Walt Disney came up with the concept of Disneyland after visiting various amusement parks with his daughters in the 1930s and 1940s. He initially envisioned building a tourist attraction adjacent to his studios in Burbank to entertain fans who wished to visit; however, he soon realized that the proposed site was too small. After hiring a consultant to help him determine an appropriate site for his project, Disney bought a 160-acre (65 ha) site near Anaheim in 1953. Construction began in 1954 and the park was unveiled during a special televised press event on the ABC Television Network on July 17, 1955.

17 July - The Gion Festival (Gion Matsuri)

The Gion Festival (Gion Matsuri) takes place annually in Kyoto and is one of the most famous festivals in Japan. Gion Matsuri is one of the largest festivals in Japan for purification and pacification of disease causing entities. It takes place in the month of July on the 17th and 24th.There are many ceremonies held during the festival, but it is best known for its parade, the Yamaboko Junkō The festival takes place at the Yasaka Shrine and the festival gets its name from the Gion district of the city.

17 July - Constitution Day South Korea

Constitution Day (Korean: 제헌절) in South Korea is observed on 17 July, the day that the South Korean constitution was proclaimed in 1948. The date was deliberately chosen to match the founding date of 17 July of the Joseon dynasty.

Although the Korean Peninsula was liberated from Imperial Japanese rule by the Allies at the end of World War II on 15 August 1945, it was caught in the middle of a Cold War power struggle between the Soviet Union and the United States. 

It took until 1948 for a democratic election for National Assembly members to be held in South Korea. The elected assembly members set upon creating a constitution, and decided upon a presidential and unicameral system. The constitution was formally adopted and promulgated by South Korean President Syngman Rhee on 17 July 1948.

16 July - World Snake Day

World Snake Day is celebrated on July 16 of every year. World Snake Day is a day to know and understand much information about carnivorous reptiles, which are on the way to extinction largely because of the myths and superstitions surrounding them. The first reaction to finding a snake for most lay-people remains fear and they want to kill it. World Snake Day is a day to educate and inform people about how to handle snakes, whom to call, resources available to them and much more.