Today, August 23, Ukraine celebrates the Day of the State Flag and the Day of Kharkiv, UNN reports.
Day of the State Flag of Ukraine
On August 23, Ukraine celebrates the Day of the State Flag. The blue and yellow flag is a symbol of our identity, struggle, and freedom. Its origins date back to the times of Rus' and Cossack banners, and as a national flag, it was established during the "Spring of Nations" in 1848 in Lviv.
In the 20th century, the flag became a symbol of Ukrainian statehood and resistance – from the 1917 revolution to underground actions in Soviet Ukraine. In 1991, it flew over the Verkhovna Rada, and since 1992, it has been officially approved as a state flag.
Today, the Ukrainian flag has been raised on Everest, in Antarctica, and in space; it accompanies soldiers at the front and flies over liberated cities, remaining an unbreakable sign of faith in a free Ukraine.
International Blind Dog Day
International Blind Dog Day is celebrated annually on August 23 to highlight the special abilities of visually impaired four-legged friends and raise awareness about their lives. This date has become a symbol of support for dog owners whose pets have lost their sight or have impaired vision, and reminds society that such pets are capable of giving love, loyalty, and joy no less than healthy animals.
The holiday was initiated by Sara Horn, the owner of a blind Jack Russell Terrier named Shemmy. It was first celebrated on August 23, 2017, exactly nine years after a historic event – the world's first corneal implant in a dog. Since then, the day has been intended to unite everyone who cares for blind and visually impaired dogs, and to spread knowledge about their proper care.
The causes of blindness in animals can be aging, genetic diseases, cataracts, glaucoma, degenerative retinal processes, or the consequences of injuries.
European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism
On this day in 1939, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed in Moscow between the USSR and Nazi Germany. The secret protocol to the agreement provided for the division of Eastern Europe into spheres of influence, which paved the way for World War II, the occupation of Poland, and the annexation of a number of countries.
Since 2009, August 23 has been officially celebrated in the EU as the Day of Remembrance for Victims of Totalitarian Regimes. The European Parliament emphasizes that only the preservation of truth and historical memory about the crimes of Nazism and Stalinism can guarantee peace and democracy on the continent.
Kharkiv City Day
On August 23, Kharkiv celebrates its City Day. It is one of the largest and most important cities in Eastern Ukraine, which officially received city status in 1654. Today, Kharkiv is a significant scientific, industrial, cultural, medical, and political center of the region. The city is considered the student capital of the country – hundreds of thousands of young people study here in dozens of educational institutions of various levels. In 2019, Kharkiv entered the top five most comfortable Ukrainian cities according to the global Numbeo quality of life index.
Disputes about the age of Kharkiv still continue. Some historians believe that the city is about 370 years old, while others insist that its history may date back more than one and a half thousand years. Archaeological excavations show that people lived in this territory as early as the Bronze Age, in the second millennium BC. At the same time, documentary sources confirm that in 1654, a fortress began to be built at the confluence of the Lopan and Kharkiv rivers to protect against Tatar raids – it is from this time that the city is considered founded.
International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
The International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition was established on the recommendation of the 150th session of the UNESCO Executive Board and is dedicated to the slave uprising in Saint-Domingue and Haiti in 1791, which initiated the process of gradual abolition of slavery.
At the beginning of the third millennium, this date became symbolic for the American state of Ohio, where the Museum of the History of Slavery was solemnly opened. Every year on Gorée Island off the coast of Senegal, which was one of the key transit points of the slave trade, memorial events are held in honor of the deceased.
Slavery remains one of the most tragic pages in human history. Although it has been officially abolished and condemned internationally, modern forms of forced labor and exploitation still affect millions of people worldwide. According to the UN, women and children suffer the most every year: they are deceived, forcibly held, and turned into "living goods." Modern slave trade, or "new slave trade," remains one of the most acute global problems of our time.
The Afterfeast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos
On August 23, Orthodox Christians celebrate the Afterfeast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. The history of the feast is connected with how parents brought the three-year-old Mary to the Temple in Jerusalem. On the stairs, she was met by the father of John the Forerunner, who took her hand and led her up the high stairs to the holiest place in the temple. These stairs became a symbol of the spiritual path of the Theotokos.
The Afterfeast is considered the last day of the celebration, which lasts several days, but its significance does not diminish. Solemn services are held in churches, and believers have the opportunity to rethink their lives and turn to God. This day gives a feeling of spiritual joy, similar to what a person feels during a festive liturgy. Traditionally, on this day, noisy entertainment is not arranged, cleaning, sewing, and washing are not done, and church marriages do not take place.