Today, September 8, marks the International Day of Journalists' Solidarity and International Literacy Day — which is intended to draw attention to this problem and contribute to its solution, writes UNN.
International Day of Journalists' Solidarity
This day is celebrated annually on September 8. The holiday was established in 1958 at the 4th Congress of the International Organization of Journalists in Bucharest to emphasize the unity of journalists worldwide and their common struggle for rights and freedom of speech.
The date is also associated with the Czechoslovak journalist and anti-fascist writer Julius Fučík, who was executed in Germany on September 8, 1943. He was actively involved in politics from a young age, became one of the founders of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, and a member of the party's underground leadership. In 1942, he and other activists were arrested by the Gestapo. Fučík gained worldwide fame for his book "Reportage Under the Gallows," written in a Prague prison and translated into more than 70 languages.
At the end of the 20th century, the UN officially approved September 8 as the International Day of Journalists' Solidarity. On this day, conferences and congresses of media professionals are held worldwide, where they exchange experiences, discuss professional challenges, and honor colleagues with awards for their risky and dedicated work. In particular, the presentation of the Pulitzer Prize — one of the most prestigious journalistic awards in the USA — traditionally takes place on September 8.
Pardon Day
Every year, many countries celebrate an unusual holiday - Pardon Day. The term "pardon" has a legal meaning and refers to the release from punishment for an offense by an authorized official. The history of the holiday is associated with this interpretation.
In the USA, it was established in 1974, when newly elected President Gerald Ford issued a proclamation pardoning Richard Nixon for actions related to the Watergate scandal. The scandal lasted more than two and a half years, beginning during the 1972 presidential election due to an attempt to install listening devices at the Democratic Party headquarters, and ended with Nixon's resignation due to the threat of impeachment.
Day of Nurses in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Departments
Every year on September 8, the Day of Nurses in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Departments is celebrated, established in 2010 by the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON). This holiday honors medical professionals who daily support children with oncological and hematological diseases and help families overcome the most difficult moments.
Such medical professionals daily combine complex medical procedures with emotional support for young patients and their families, creating an atmosphere of care, hope, and comfort in the hospital.
Rozhanytsi
In Ukraine, the holiday of Rozhanytsi is celebrated twice in September - on the 8th and 21st. It has ancient folk-Slavic origins. Many pagan rites and holidays have been lost since the spread of Christianity, but some beliefs and traditions have survived to our days, and Rozhanytsi is one such holiday.
This is a female family and childbirth holiday dedicated to two goddesses, mother and daughter: Lada and Lelya. They were addressed with prayers for easy childbirth, healthy children, family well-being, and the peace of the deceased. It was believed that Lada and Lelya "live" in the starry sky, they were identified with the Big and Little Dipper. They were attributed powers that affect the fertility of people, animals, and harvests. Lada became a symbol of mother and mistress, and Lelya - the embodiment of youth, spring, beauty, and love.
International Literacy Day
Literacy is often taken for granted, but many people today cannot read and write. To draw attention to this problem and contribute to its solution, UNESCO established International Literacy Day, which is celebrated annually on September 8.
Writing has been known since 3500–3000 BC, but for a long time, it was the privilege of the elite. The largest number of literate people in ancient times was in India and China, although books were rare and expensive. The spread of reading skills was facilitated by religions: in Muslim countries, every believer had to read the Quran independently, and in Judaism, literacy was important for studying the Tanakh and Talmud.
In Rus', writing existed even before the adoption of Christianity, and baptism accelerated its development through Glagolitic and Cyrillic. Not only princes and boyars mastered literacy, but also ordinary people, as evidenced by birch bark letters, inscriptions on temple walls, and schools.
A literacy pen was created for illiterate people28.05.24, 01:46 • [views_22369]
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Today, September 8, Christians celebrate the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to church tradition and Holy Scripture, her parents, Saints Joachim and Anna, were childless for a long time. After many years of prayers and fasting, they received the gift of the birth of the Mother of God, who is considered the beginning of a new stage in the history of salvation, because she became the mother of Jesus Christ.
Her birth announces the future coming of the Savior, and Saints Joachim and Anna serve as an example of patient faith and persistent prayer.
Earlier, UNN wrote that on this day it is customary to harvest, thank God, visit church, and help those in need. It is forbidden to quarrel and succumb to despondency.