Frankenstein Day, World Lemur Day, International Black Sea Day: what is celebrated on October 31
Kyiv • UNN
On October 31, the world celebrates a number of holidays, including Frankenstein Day in the USA and Great Britain, World Lemur Day, World Savings Day, and International Black Sea Day. Halloween, rooted in the ancient Celts, and Reformation Day in honor of Martin Luther also fall on this day.
Today, October 31, Frankenstein Day is celebrated in the USA and Great Britain, World Lemur Day is held in Madagascar and other regions of the world, and also in the world - World Savings Day or World Thrift Day, writes UNN.
Halloween
Halloween's roots go back to the ancient Celts. The ancient Samhain is considered to be the beginning of the modern holiday. According to the pagan beliefs of the Celts, Samhain was one of the four main calendar holidays.
For many Celtic peoples, the new year began on the first of November, and that is why the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead was considered blurred. One of the Irish sagas tells us that on this day kings and chiefs gathered and held national festivities.
During such festivities, it was customary to bring gifts to the hosts (most often these were carcasses of pigs or other livestock). One of the rituals was the lighting of fire - on the eve of the holiday, all fires were extinguished around and a new one was lit. Human skulls were hung on the walls of houses and around to scare away evil spirits.
It was believed that all unfinished business should be completed by Samhain and a new year entered purified. On this night, the forces of chaos could break into the world of the living.
Sacrifices dedicated to this holiday also cannot be ignored. Usually, meat and bones of domestic animals were sacrificed. In this way, they received help from the gods and showed their favor to them.
Later, with the advent of Christianity, the holiday of Samhain changed its name to All Saints' Day. With the change of name, the traditions of celebration also changed, but on the foundation of ancient celebrations. Already in the 16th century, on the evening of October 31, people began to wear fabric masks and beg for sweets, going from house to house.
Reformation Day
Reformation Day is a holiday for the entire Protestant world in honor of the Reformation of the Church.
As history shows, on this day in 1517, the German reformer Martin Luther nailed his famous "95 Theses" to the door of the parish church in Wittenberg, thereby initiating a broad discussion about the effectiveness of indulgences, which in turn marked the beginning of the Reformation in Western Christianity. This led to the formation of a new Lutheran church community.
Luther is considered the father of Protestantism. Already in the 16th century, Reformation Day was partially celebrated. Initially, the dates November 10 or February 18 (Luther's birth and death days) were used. Elector of Saxony Johann Georg II declared October 31 a holiday in 1667.
Frankenstein Day
On the last Friday of October, Frankenstein Day is celebrated in the USA and Great Britain, who is the main character of the novel "Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus".
The author of this horrific story was a young girl Mary Shelley, who later also wrote a book about women's rights. Having experienced many tragedies in her life, she died young after childbirth, but her heroes still live on screens.
World Lemur Day
On the last Friday of October, World Lemur Day is held in Madagascar and other regions of the world. This initiative was launched in 2014 in Madagascar - an island that is home to these animals and their place of origin.
There are more than 100 species of lemurs, almost 95% of which are on the verge of extinction. A few years ago, a study was conducted that found that lemurs are less protected than other primates. The reason for this is the destruction of habitats, poaching. According to research, lemurs are hunted more and more often and aggressively every year - these primates are resold as pets, and in some countries they are eaten.
Lemurs are considered the creators of the forest, because in Madagascar they play an important role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem, contributing to the growth and spread of plants. Lemurs love fruits very much, but their stomach is not able to digest seeds. Therefore, when animals travel through forests, they spread seeds with their feces, which acts as a natural fertilizer.
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World Cities Day
World Cities Day has been officially approved since 2014 by a resolution of the UN General Assembly. The celebration of this day is held to involve the general public in the problems of modern cities, to show humanity the role that cities play in climate change and environmental safety issues.
Every city is a complex human creation. The higher the level of urbanization, the more comfortable it turns out to be for living. But there is also the other side of the coin - due to rapid urbanization processes, the population of cities is growing, the needs of residents are increasing, the demand for basic services, food products, etc. Today, half of the world's population lives in cities, and by 2050 this figure will increase. To avoid resource shortages and environmental disasters, it is worth taking care of the development of cities now.
World Savings Day
World Savings Day or World Thrift Day is celebrated on October 31.
The history of the holiday began on October 27, 1924. It was then that the First International Congress of Savings Banks was held in Milan with the participation of representatives from 29 countries. On the last day of the congress, October 31, financial institutions proposed the idea of celebrating World Savings Day (accumulations).
This name of the holiday existed until 1989. And then the last day of October was declared International Savings Day by official UN directive. The name was invented by Italian professor Ravizza, which allowed for a broader meaning. After all, economy is not limited to savings. It covers concepts such as saving time, energy resources, natural treasures, minerals.
International Black Sea Day
Every year, on October 31, International Black Sea Day is celebrated. On this day in 1996, government organizations of six Black Sea countries signed the Strategic Plan for the Rehabilitation and Protection of the Black Sea.
The need to sign the Strategic Plan for the Rehabilitation and Protection of the Black Sea arose due to the danger of destruction of the unique natural complexes of the water area. The plan provides for practical actions aimed at restoring and preserving the Black Sea.
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