On 29 October, Ukraine celebrates the Day of the Non-Departmental Security Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, while the world celebrates World Stroke Day and the International Day of Care and Support.
The Day of Employees of the Non-Departmental Security Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
This holiday is celebrated in honour of the creation of a specialised unit responsible for the protection of important facilities in various sectors of the economy. The history of this unit dates back to 29 October 1952, when the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted a resolution on improving the organisation of security in industrial, construction and other state structures. The purpose of this resolution was to free up personnel involved in the protection of facilities for production needs and to create a new security body.
According to this document, it was decided to create a non-departmental security service at local internal affairs bodies in republics, territories, regions and large cities. The main task of the newly created unit was to protect business facilities, regardless of their affiliation with specific agencies. Thus, the non-departmental security service received its own specific name, which reflects its independence from the departmental affiliation of the protected objects.
Today, employees of the non-departmental security service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs continue to fulfil their mission, ensuring the security of important facilities, maintaining public order and preventing violations that could endanger property and people.
This day was created to honour those who protect the security of nationally important facilities, businesses and citizens’ property on a daily basis. The non-departmental security service plays a key role in maintaining order by responding to calls and preventing offences in the territories under its control.
Interesting facts
Today, the service actively uses modern video surveillance, alarm and rapid response systems, which allows it to instantly send a team to the scene and prevent violations. This makes the service one of the most efficient in Ukraine in the security sector.
Every year, the non-departmental security service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine records thousands of offences. Most of the detainees are thieves trying to break into protected facilities or commit other crimes. The effectiveness of such detentions is increasing every year thanks to technical equipment.
The service’s employees undergo specialised training, including physical training, weapons training and facility protection tactics, which allows them to act professionally and smoothly even in difficult situations.
In addition to its direct activities, the non-departmental security service is actively involved in various social initiatives aimed at improving the level of security among the population. These include information campaigns and training citizens on how to behave in emergency situations.
World Stroke Day
This important day aims to raise awareness of the symptoms, prevention and treatment of stroke. It was established by the World Stroke Organisation (WSO) to inform the public about the dangers of this disease, as one in four adults is at risk of having a stroke in their lifetime.
Interesting facts
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world. About 15 million stroke cases are recorded annually, of which almost 5 million are fatal.
The main slogan for preventing the severe consequences of stroke is ‘Act Fast’ (F.A.S.T., an acronym for Face, Arms, Speech, Time). It helps to recognise the first signs of a stroke, such as facial asymmetry, weakness in the arms, speech impairment, and emphasises the importance of seeking medical help quickly.
Many strokes can be prevented by leading a healthy lifestyle. Regular physical activity, controlling blood pressure, eating a healthy diet, and avoiding tobacco smoking and excessive alcohol consumption reduce the risk of stroke.
Although stroke is traditionally considered a disease of the elderly, more and more cases are being reported among young people. Stress, sedentary lifestyles and other risk factors are leading to an increase in the number of strokes among young people, making awareness campaigns even more relevant.
Timely rehabilitation is critical for recovery from stroke. Many countries have specialised rehabilitation centres that help patients learn to speak, walk and perform daily activities again.
International Day of Care and Support
This day is dedicated to recognising the importance of caring for those who need help, support and care. The day aims to raise awareness of the role of carers and the importance of the support they provide to people with disabilities, the elderly, the sick or those experiencing difficult life circumstances.
Every day, millions of people around the world care for loved ones at home, acting not only as healthcare providers but also as emotional support. Often they face exhaustion and psychological stress, so this day is aimed at expressing gratitude and recognition.
Caregivers, both professional and family, are critically important for society, as they provide care and support to the most vulnerable groups of the population. Recognising their work is important for building a healthy and caring society.
In some countries, the caring profession is highly skilled, with training including medical, psychological and communication skills. However, in many regions, the profession is still undervalued, and this day also reminds us of the importance of decent working conditions and pay for carers.
Psychological support for carers of the sick or disabled is also important. The International Day of Care and Support also reminds us of the need for support programmes to help carers maintain their mental health and prevent emotional burnout.
This day aims to spread awareness of how everyone can help and support carers in their environment. Small acts of support, such as giving them a break or helping them with daily tasks, can go a long way towards easing the burden of caring.
Historical events on this day
1451 – Christopher Columbus’s birthday
29 October 1451 is the probable date of birth of Christopher Columbus, a legendary figure who changed the course of world history without even knowing it. All his life, he sought to find a way to India, but in fact, he discovered America, believing that it was part of East Asia until the end of his life.
Columbus was born into a modest family in the Italian city of Genoa, although to this day several cities and two countries compete for the right to be considered his homeland. Christopher Columbus is considered to be a Spanish navigator of Italian descent, as he made all his voyages under the Spanish flag and had a Spanishised name, Cristobal Colón. In Italy, he is called Colombo, which means ‘dove’.
Organising expeditions in those days was a difficult task, and Columbus sought support from the government of Genoa, the kings of Portugal and England, but only the Spanish queen agreed to finance his voyage. During the negotiations, he hinted to the queen about the possibility of recovering Christian shrines in Palestine that had been lost during the Crusades. This impression prompted the queen to make an important decision, and she even pawned her jewellery to support the expedition, although Columbus had to pay one-eighth of the costs himself.
Columbus’s four expeditions to America became the basis for Europe’s exploration of the New World. However, even after them, he never realised that it was not India that he had discovered. Columbus has left a significant mark on history: the Columbian Plateau, the Columbia River in North America, the District of Columbia in the United States, several Columbus cities and even the country of Colombia are named after him.
However, the modern generation does not always see Columbus as a pioneer. He has also become a symbol of colonialism and exploitation. Christopher Columbus not only discovered new lands, but also became the founder of slavery among the indigenous population, and natural resources were brutally plundered. One of his contemporaries wrote: ‘My eyes have seen such acts that are alien to human nature, and now I tremble as I write this.’ The colonisers did not spare the locals for the sake of their loot.
The contribution to the development of Europe after Columbus’ discoveries was enormous. Thanks to the flow of gold and silver, as well as the introduction of new crops such as corn and potatoes, Europe’s economy began to grow rapidly, and industry and science took a significant step forward. The population and living standards grew. However, along with his discoveries, Columbus also brought unpleasant ‘surprises’ to Europe: dangerous diseases, pests and the addiction to tobacco, which spread throughout the world.
Columbus was described by his contemporaries as a tall man with a long face, an eagle nose, blue-grey eyes and fair skin with a reddish tint. In his youth, his beard and moustache were reddish, but later, under the burden of work, they turned grey. Christopher Columbus died on 20 May 1506 in Valladolid, Spain, due to an illness brought from the New World (it is assumed that it was syphilis). Exhausted and disappointed in life, he left this world poor and sick. His remains were first buried in Seville, later transported to Haiti, then to Havana, and after the expulsion of the Spaniards from Cuba in 1898, returned to Seville, where they now rest in the Seville Cathedral.
The life of Columbus, which inspired the world to great discoveries, is best illustrated by his own saying: ‘It’s a small world’.
1672 – the day of the ‘Golden Linden’
On 29 October 1672 (18 October, O.S.), under a linden tree called the Golden Linden, which grows near the road to the town of Buchach in Ternopil Oblast, the Turkish sultan signed the Treaty of Buchach with Poland. This treaty established the partition of Ukraine between Turkey and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, with the new border running along the Strypa River. Buchach was divided into two parts: eastern (Turkish) and western (Polish). The Turkish occupation of the city lasted eleven years. In addition to the territorial changes, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was obliged to pay military expenses to Turkey and to pay an annual tribute.
In modern times, the linden tree has a plaque with the inscription: ‘The 400-year-old Golden Linden, under which the Treaty of Buchach with Turkey was signed in 1672’, commemorating the historical significance of this event. According to legend, a treaty was signed under this linden tree, which forever changed the fate of Ukraine at that time.
At that time, Ukrainians, led by Hetman Petro Doroshenko, fought alongside Turks and Tatars against Poland. Doroshenko, formally subordinate to the Sultan, held the position of ‘Hetman of the Zaporozhian Army of His Royal Grace’. There is evidence that the hetman was dissatisfied with the terms of the treaty, but the officers decided to continue the alliance with the Ottomans, believing that ‘now there is nowhere to go but to the sultan’.
Some historians believe that it was in this treaty, which was not entirely favourable to Ukraine, that Ukraine was first mentioned as a state under the name ‘Ukrainian Pannstvo’. In the Polish translation of the treaty, the fourth paragraph stated that the ‘Ukrainian state with ancient borders’ was to be placed under the rule of the Cossacks. In the original Turkish language, Ukraine was referred to as ‘Ukrayna memleketinin’ (‘the country of Ukraine’). Much later, Hetman Ivan Skoropadskyi also used this name for the country. Doroshenko himself, when signing a treaty with the Sultan in 1669, called his land Rus, where the ‘Rus’ people’ lived (with one letter “s” to denote ancient Rus).
The Peace of Buchach left a mark on history, becoming a symbol of the struggle for Ukraine’s independence and self-determination, albeit under the protectorate of the powerful Ottoman Empire at the time.
1914 – The victory of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen on Mount Klyuch near Skole
This victory went down in history as one of the first major military successes of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen, who fought for Ukraine’s independence. In the Battle of Mount Kliuch, they were able to successfully resist Austrian troops, which was of great importance for the national spirit.
1914 – The Ottoman Empire entered the First World War.
This event was a turning point for the First World War. The entry of the Ottoman Empire into the war on the side of the Central Powers expanded the scope of the war to the Middle East and influenced further geopolitical changes in the region.
1918 – The beginning of the German Revolution
The German High Seas Fleet sailors’ uprising, which began on 29 October, was one of the causes of the German Revolution of 1918-1919. This uprising caused a major internal disorder in Germany, which led to the end of the First World War and the establishment of the Weimar Republic.
1923 – Proclamation of Turkey as a republic
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk declared Turkey a republic, making 29 October Republic Day, which is still celebrated as a national holiday in Turkey. This was the beginning of the country’s modernisation and transition to a secular state.
1929 – Black Tuesday and the New York Stock Exchange crash
The crash on the New York Stock Exchange, known as Black Tuesday, put an end to the Great Bull Market of the 1920s. This event marked the beginning of the Great Depression, which brought a global economic crisis.
1941 – Holocaust in the Ninth Fort of the Kaunas Ghetto
On this day, the Nazi occupiers carried out a massacre of more than 10,000 Jews, which went down in history as the ‘Great Action’. This was one of the many crimes of the Holocaust that left a deep mark on human history.
1942 – Public protests in the UK against the persecution of Jews
Following the spread of information about the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany, British clergy and politicians gathered to express outrage, support the victims, and call for action to end these crimes.
1956 – The beginning of the Suez crisis
On this day, Israeli troops entered the Sinai Peninsula, marking the beginning of the Suez Crisis. It was one of the biggest geopolitical crises of the 1950s, which changed the balance of power in the region and showed the need for new forms of international cooperation.
1964 – Unification of Tanganyika and Zanzibar into the United Republic of Tanzania
The unification of the two countries created modern Tanzania, a united state that later became one of the key powers in East Africa and became important for stability in the region.
1964 – New York jewellery heist
On this day, one of the biggest jewellery heists in history took place in New York. Precious stones, including the famous Star of India, were stolen from the American Museum of Natural History. This event became one of the most talked about crimes of the decade.
