May 3: World Press Freedom Day, International Day of the Sun, Good Friday

Today, on April 3, in many countries of the world, representatives of the media community and people who want to receive objective information can join the World Press Freedom Day, UNN writes.

The event was launched by the United Nations in 1992 to counteract censorship by government agencies.

Censorship dates back to ancient times. It is believed that the first known victim of censorship was the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, who was sentenced to death for his free thinking and forced to drink poison.

In Europe, censorship began to take on an unprecedented scale shortly after the invention of the printing press. In 1501, Pope Alexander VI ordered printers to provide church authorities with copies of all materials before publication. The punishment for disobedience to censorship was fines and excommunication.

In 1563, King Charles IX of France  forbade the printing of anything without his personal permission, and other European monarchs soon followed suit.

In 1766, the Swedish parliament passed the Freedom of the Press Act, which is recognized as the world's first law to support freedom of the press and information.

In the United States, the 1735 trial of publisher John Peter Sanger, accused of slandering Governor William Crosby, became a landmark. The jury found the criticism in the newspaper to be factual and acquitted Zenger. In 1791, the principle of freedom of speech and the press was enshrined in the First Amendment to the US Constitution

Today you can also join the International Day of the Sun. The event in honor of the star that is the center of the solar system was launched in the United States and quickly became popular in many countries around the world.

The sun has been a central element of human life and culture for thousands of years, symbolizing energy, light and life. Today, it is recognized not only for its life-giving properties, but also as a clean and inexhaustible source of energy. Solar power, derived from the sun's energy, is an important alternative to fossil fuels, reducing our carbon footprint and mitigating the effects of climate change.

Today is a mournful day for Orthodox Christians - Good Friday.

It was on the Friday after the verdict of the procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate, that Jesus Christ was crucified on Calvary.

Good Friday is the strictest day of the Easter Lent. It is also strictly forbidden to have fun, swear, drink alcohol, touch sharp objects, or work hard.

You should definitely visit the evening service of the church.

Nikolai, Pavel, Timothy, and Ulyana celebrate their name days today.