What is celebrated on November 15 in Ukraine and around the world

On November 15, the world observes World Recycling Day, the International Day of Imprisoned Writers, and European Music Therapy Day. According to the new-style church calendar, the Christmas Fast begins, while according to the old style, the holy martyrs are commemorated, UNN writes.

World Recycling Day (Global Recycling Dayта)

A global environmental observance established in the United States in 1997 on the initiative of the National Recycling Coalition and later supported by environmental organizations around the world. The event is intended to draw the attention of governments, industry, and consumers to the critical importance of sorting waste and reusing raw materials—paper, plastic, glass, metals, and electronics. The day emphasizes that recycling makes it possible to significantly reduce the volume of landfill waste, decrease the extraction of primary natural resources, save energy, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

International Day of Imprisoned Writers (Day of the Imprisoned Writer)

A human rights observance established in 1981 by the Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International. The event is dedicated to protecting authors, journalists, publishers, and bloggers who face persecution, arrest, censorship, or physical violence for exercising their right to freedom of speech and expression. Each year, PEN highlights several landmark cases involving imprisoned writers from different countries, calling on the international community to show solidarity and put pressure on authoritarian regimes.

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims)

An official UN observance established by a General Assembly resolution of October 26, 2005, and held annually on the third Sunday of November. The event is intended to honor the memory of millions of people who have died or suffered serious injuries as a result of road crashes, express support for their families, thank emergency service workers and medical professionals, and remind drivers and pedestrians of the need to strictly follow traffic rules.

European Music Therapy Day (European Music Therapy Day)

A professional medical  observance established by the European Music Therapy Confederation. The event promotes the evidence-based use of music as a clinical tool for the psychological, cognitive, and physical rehabilitation of patients with neurological disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism, depression, and dementia.

Under the new calendar, Orthodox and Greek Catholic believers begin the Christmas Fast—a forty-day period of spiritual and physical preparation for the feast of the Nativity of Christ, which will continue through December 24 inclusive. On this day, the memory of the holy martyrs and confessors Gurias, Samonas, and Habib is also commemorated—Christians from the Syrian city of Edessa who, during the persecutions under the emperors Diocletian and Licinius, refused to offer sacrifices to pagan idols, endured lengthy imprisonment and torture, and accepted martyrdom, becoming patrons of Christian marriage and the family in church tradition.

According to the old calendar, believers commemorate the holy martyrs Akindynos, Pegasius, Aphthonius, Elpidiphorus, and Anempodistus—Persian Christian dignitaries at the court of King Shapur II who secretly professed Christianity and, after being exposed, bravely endured brutal tortures, during which their steadfastness converted thousands of onlookers to the faith, including the executioner Aphthonius himself and the nobleman Elpidiphorus.