What is celebrated on September 22 in Ukraine and around the world

On September 22, Ukraine observes Partisan Glory Day; worldwide, World Car-Free Day, World Rhino Day, and World Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Awareness Day are held, while Bulgaria and Mali celebrate their Independence Days. In the Church calendar, according to the new style, Saint Jonah the Prophet and Hieromartyr Phocas are commemorated, while according to the old style, the day of the holy righteous ancestors of God Joachim and Anna is observed, reports UNN.

 Ukraine's Partisan Glory Day

An official holiday established by a Decree of the President of Ukraine in 2001 to mark the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the mass underground and partisan movement in Ukraine during World War II. The event honors the feat of partisans, members of the underground, and civilians who waged an uncompromising struggle against the Nazi occupiers behind the front lines. In today's realities, the day has acquired additional significance, also symbolizing the continuity of the liberation struggle, the courage of Ukrainian partisans and the Special Operations Forces, and the resistance movement in the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation.

 World Car-Free Day

A global environmental initiative that originated in France in the late 1990s and received official support from the European Commission in 2000. The event calls on drivers and city authorities to give up using private cars with internal combustion engines for at least one day in favor of walking, cycling, or public transportation. The day's goal is to draw public attention to the problems of air pollution, traffic noise, and greenhouse gas emissions, and to promote the development of high-quality pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.

 World Rhino Day

An environmental observance launched in 2010 by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in South Africa. The event is dedicated to the conservation and protection from poaching of all five existing rhino species (black, white, Indian, Javan, and Sumatran). The day highlights the problem of illegal horn trafficking, the threats of species extinction, and the destruction of the natural habitats of these remarkable animals.

World Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Awareness Day

A global medical observance symbolically chosen for September 22 because of the disease's genetic origins—genetic translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22, resulting in the formation of what is known as the Philadelphia chromosome. The event brings together cancer organizations, medical professionals, and patients to raise awareness of symptoms, early diagnosis, and access to modern targeted therapy (tyrosine kinase inhibitors).

 Bulgaria's Independence Day

An official national holiday commemorating the events of September 22, 1908, when in the city of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgarian Prince Ferdinand I proclaimed a Manifesto declaring the sovereignty of the Bulgarian Kingdom, finally abolishing the country's vassal dependence on the Ottoman Empire.

 Mali's Independence Day

The main national holiday of the West African country, commemorating the proclamation of sovereignty in 1960 and its withdrawal from the Mali Federation following the collapse of French colonial rule under the leadership of Modibo Keïta.

 Baltic Unity Day. 

An official holiday in Latvia and Lithuania established to commemorate the Battle of Saule on September 22, 1236, when the united forces of the Yotvingians, Samogitians, and Semigallians defeated the knights of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, which became a symbol of the unity of the Baltic tribes against an external threat.

The day of remembrance of Saint Jonah the Prophet 

According to the new calendar, Orthodox and Greek Catholic believers commemorate the holy Prophet Jonah (9th century BCE)—one of the twelve minor prophets, whose story is described in the Old Testament "Book of Jonah." According to biblical tradition, Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of a gigantic sea monster after attempting to evade God's command to preach repentance to the inhabitants of Nineveh, which foreshadowed Christ's three-day burial and Resurrection. On this day, they also commemorate the Hieromartyr Phocas, Bishop of Sinope, who became renowned in the 2nd century for miraculous prayers and healings and, during the reign of Emperor Trajan, suffered martyrdom for refusing to offer sacrifices to pagan gods, as well as Venerable Jonah of Makariv (Kyiv).

 According to the old calendar, believers celebrate the day commemorating the holy and righteous ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna—the parents of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, who are honored on the day after the Nativity of the Virgin Mary according to the Julian calendar as patrons of the family, childless couples, and marital happiness. On this day, the Afterfeast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Virgin Mary also takes place, and Saint Martyr Severian of Sebaste is commemorated.