Today, April 9, Georgians around the world celebrate the Day of National Unity in Georgia - a symbol of national unity and the struggle for the country's independence. Collectors of antique items and simply connoisseurs of rarities can join the celebration of World Antiquities Day, and fans of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill can celebrate his day, UNN writes.
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April 9 in Georgia is National Unity Day. In March 1989, residents of the village of Lykhny in Abkhazia demanded secession from Georgia. A month later, in response to the events in Abkhazia, an indefinite opposition rally began on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. The protesters believed that the action in Abkhazia was sanctioned by Moscow.
On April 6, 1989, calls for Georgia's independence were first heard in Tbilisi, and three days later, on April 9, units of the Soviet Interior Ministry dispersed the rally - 21 people died and thousands were injured. These events accelerated Georgia's secession from the USSR, which officially came two years later.
Also today is "Give Yourself a Name" Day - a great opportunity to create a new identity for yourself for a day. If you're happy with your name, try changing it just for fun. This day is a chance to experiment and have fun. And who knows, maybe your new name will become your favorite.
On this day, April 9, 1963, US President John F. Kennedy signed a law granting British Prime Minister Winston Churchill honorary US citizenship.
This day is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in history and learn more about Churchill, his contribution to the victory during the Second World War cannot be overestimated.
Churchill Day is not only an opportunity to honor the memory of a great leader, but also a chance to recall important moments in his life that changed the course of world history.
Collectors of antique items and simply connoisseurs of rarities can join in the celebration of World Antiquities Day. The culture of collecting originated in ancient Egypt.
The modern concept of antiquities emerged in the Renaissance - in the XV-XVI centuries. The desired artifacts for collectors were relics of antiquity, so even then there were occasional forgeries "antiqued".
In addition, it became common for wealthy people to commission paintings or sculptures from the best masters. The Medici in Florence, the Habsburgs in Austria and other noble families of the time started impressive collections of works of art. Some of the Renaissance collections later became the basis for large museums, while others remained private and were passed down from generation to generation.
In the 18th century in Great Britain, the world's first auction houses were founded - Sotheby's and Christie's, which still exist today. They are the largest platform for trading in antiques, together their share of the global trade in the rarest and most valuable relics is 90%.
At the same time, many forged artifacts, including manuscripts, appeared. Therefore, antiques began to be examined for their origin and age using special expertise.
After the Second World War, agreements were adopted at the international level to regulate the legal circulation of antiques and restrict their trade on "black" markets.
The second Wednesday of April since 2019 is International Provenance Research Day, which aims to highlight the scientific and social significance of research into the origin of cultural objects, as well as to give a wider audience the opportunity to learn more about the methods of work in this field, which often remain outside the public eye.
According to the New Julian Orthodox calendar, today is the Day of Remembrance of the Martyr Eupsychius, who lived in Caesarea during the reign of Emperor Julian the Apostate.
Eupsychius resolutely fought against the pagans and, together with other Christians, destroyed their temples.
For this he was captured, tortured long and cruelly. However, the man did not renounce his faith in the Lord and died in agony.