The news today is that October 24th will become a "commemorative day" -- not a public holiday -- in Taiwan:

Taiwan on Wednesday declared that it will make UN Day on October 24 a national holiday to tell the world that the island is determined to join the United Nations.

'This year is the first year that we have applied to join the UN under the name of Taiwan. We want to tell the world that we will never give up,' Premier Chang Chun-hsiung told a news conference.

On October 24, the day when the UN Charter was signed in 1945 by 50 UN members, Taiwan will hold an around-the -island Taiwan Join UN Torch Relay to show the world that Taiwanese are united in the UN bid despite threats from China.

When I saw the mention of a "Torch Relay" one thing immediately came to mind. I'm not sure if the torch has anything to do with all the Olympic hullabaloo, but it wouldn't surprise me.

I'm really hoping we get the day off -- though I'm not holding my breath - so that I can get out and take a look at any of the festivities that might take place around Taipei. The first article says that the day will be a "National Holiday" while this one says:

Chang ordered the Ministry of the Interior to process the related paperwork as soon as possible to facilitate the declaration of the commemorative day, which will not be observed as a public holiday.

Chang made the announcement during a weekly Cabinet meeting, after hearing a report by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Taiwan's bid for U.N. membership and another report by the Sports Affairs Council on a plan to hold a torch relay October 24 to promote the U.N. bid.

Chang noted that this year marks the first time that the country has applied to join the United Nations under the name Taiwan, which he said also marks "a major historic step forward" for Taiwan.

I might be holed up in the classroom while all of this is taking place.