5 November marks the International Day of Volunteer Managers, International Tsunami Awareness Day, International Carers’ Day and World Clown Day.
International Day of Volunteer Managers
This holiday is dedicated to people who coordinate the work of volunteers, organise their activities and support them in their daily tasks. Volunteer managers are those who are behind the scenes, ensuring the effectiveness of charitable initiatives and projects, supporting volunteers and providing them with opportunities to realise their noble intentions.
Interesting facts
This day was established in 1999 by the international community of volunteer managers. It aims to raise awareness of the important role managers play in voluntary organisations and to give them the opportunity to be recognised for their efforts and dedication.
The main slogan of the day is ‘Connecting people, building communities’. It is a reminder that volunteer managers are an important link between volunteers and the community, bringing people together to solve common problems.
Each year, the holiday has its own theme that reflects current challenges for the volunteer community and innovative approaches to managing volunteer programmes. For example, the topics included inclusivity, digital solutions, and leadership development.
In many countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK, conferences, seminars, and trainings for volunteer managers are held on this day. Organisations also express their gratitude to their managers, present awards and organise celebrations for employees.
Many organisations believe that volunteer managers play a key role in ensuring the sustainability of volunteer programmes. They recruit and train volunteers, help to avoid burnout, and develop new skills and capacities.
International Tsunami Awareness Day
This day was initiated by the UN General Assembly in 2015 to raise awareness of tsunami threats and prepare for this natural phenomenon that can lead to catastrophic consequences. The date of 5 November was chosen in honour of a historical event in Japan that took place in 1854, when a peasant Hamaguchi Goichi saved the people of his village from a tsunami by setting fire to burning sheaves of rice as a warning signal.
Interesting facts
The 1854 event in Japan, known as the Inami Fire, was an example of a successful tsunami warning that avoided significant casualties. This is a reminder of the importance of rapid response and disaster preparedness.
The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of the need to invest in early warning, public education and disaster preparedness, as tsunamis can have devastating effects on coastal regions and cities.
To mark the day, the UN and other international organisations emphasise the importance of developing tsunami monitoring and warning systems, such as seismographs, hydrophones and other technologies that can detect the danger in time.
Most tsunamis cause significant casualties in coastal communities, so disaster risk reduction organisations focus their efforts on protecting these regions. This includes developing training programmes, investing in safe evacuation zones and improving infrastructure.
International Day of Carers
This day is celebrated to recognise the work of people who care for, support and protect those who cannot take care of themselves – orphans, the elderly, people with disabilities and those in difficult circumstances. It is dedicated to all those who have taken responsibility for the protection and well-being of others, often on a voluntary basis. Carers help to create a safe and stable environment for their wards, providing them not only with physical care, but also with emotional support, opportunities for development and independent living.
Interesting facts
Caregivers can be family members, volunteers, social service workers or even friends. Their responsibilities range from providing daily care to managing finances or providing legal representation for their wards.
Many countries have legal mechanisms that define the duties and rights of carers. These laws protect the rights of the wards and at the same time support the guardians by providing them with the resources to fulfil their responsibilities.
Guardians of children without parental care often become not only protectors but also mentors. For elderly people in need of care, they provide comfort and dignity at a stage of life when they need it most.
Caregivers play an important role in maintaining the psychological health of their wards. Their support helps to reduce feelings of loneliness, increase the self-esteem of their wards and facilitate their integration into society.
In many countries, carers are increasingly receiving government support and recognition, as their work is important to society. International Carers’ Day also calls for the creation of support programmes for carers to reduce their emotional and physical burden.
World Clown Day
This holiday is dedicated to people who, through their profession, bring positivity, laughter and ease the stresses of everyday life. Clowns have always been associated with circus performances, children’s parties, and hospital programmes for children, where they help kids cope with pain and fears through laughter therapy.
Interesting facts
The modern image of the clown originated in England in the 18th century, but its roots go back even further – to ancient Greek and Roman performances where actors created comic characters. The clowns we know today have their origins in a combination of the European harlequin and pierrot traditions with their characteristic bright make-up and costumes.
The hospital clown programme began in the 1980s and has gained popularity around the world. It aims to cheer up sick children and has been proven to help in the treatment process, reduce stress and promote recovery.
Many countries hold annual clown festivals where artists from around the world demonstrate their skills. Such events attract not only children but also adults, because laughter is a universal language that has no age restrictions.
Clowns are a symbol of joy and carefreeness, but at the same time they show that laughter often hides a serious attitude to life. Their task is to bring a little magic to everyday life and remind us of the importance of joy.
Historical events on this day
1605 – The Gunpowder Plot in Britain – a group of English Catholics planned to blow up the Parliament building to overthrow the Protestant King James I, who was repressing Catholics. One of the main participants, Guy Fawkes, was arrested. This event marked the beginning of the tradition of celebrating Guy Fawkes Night in Britain.
1625 – The Kuruków Ordinance was signed, an agreement between Polish Hetman Stanisław Konieczpolski and a Cossack delegation led by Mykhailo Doroshenko, the Cossack chieftain of the Zaporozhian Army.
1913 – the annexation of Cyprus by Great Britain – Britain, together with France, declared war on the Ottoman Empire, marking an important stage in the First World War.
1916 – The Kingdom of Poland wasestablished – the emperors of Germany and Austria-Hungary announced the formation of the Polish state in an attempt to gain the support of the Polish population during the war.
1935 – the opening of regular trolleybus traffic in Kyiv – this marked a new stage in the development of urban transport, providing Kyiv residents with an environmentally friendly and convenient way of travelling.
1935 – the release of the Monopoly board game – this game, which quickly became a cult game, spread around the world and is still popular today.
1953 – opening of the Yevhen Paton Bridge in Kyiv – the world’s first all-welded bridge structure, which was a great achievement of engineering science.
1963 – opening of new Kyiv metro stations – Polytechnic Institute and Bolshevik Plant (now Shuliavska), expanding the capacity of the Kyiv metro.
1964 – launch of trolleybus traffic in Chernihiv – the city joined the development of environmentally friendly public transport, which was gradually introduced in different cities of Ukraine.
1965 – new Kyiv metro stations Hydropark, Livoberezhna and Darnytsia were opened – the opening of these stations became an important event for residents of the left bank of the Dnipro River, providing convenient connections to other parts of the city.
1968 – Vasyl Makukh’s self-immolation in Kyiv – former UPA soldier Vasyl Makukh committed self-immolation on Khreshchatyk to protest against Ukraine’s colonial status and the occupation of Czechoslovakia.
1968 – Richard Nixon is elected President of the United States – Nixon’s victory was a turning point in US history, determining the country’s foreign and domestic policy for the coming years.
1971 – new Kyiv metro stations Svyatoshyno, Nyvky and Zhovtneva (now Beresteyska) were opened – the opening of these stations expanded the accessibility of the metro to residents of the western districts of Kyiv.
1995 – attempted assassination of Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien – the attack was carried out by a mentally unbalanced Andre Dallaire, but the prime minister remained unharmed.
1996 – Bill Clinton is re-elected as President of the United States – this was an important moment in American politics, as Clinton gained confidence for a second term.
2006 – Saddam Hussein wassentenced to death by hanging – the trial of the former Iraqi leader ended with a verdict that influenced further developments in the region.
2009 – massacre at the Fort Hood military base in the United States – military psychiatrist Nidal Hasan opened fire on his colleagues, killing 13 people and injuring 32 others.
2010 – Beechcraft 1900 plane crash in Karachi – 22 people died in the tragedy, which caused a wave of discussions about flight safety in the region.
2015 – an environmental disaster in Brazil – a dam collapse killed 19 people and released a large amount of toxic waste into the Rio Docey River, causing significant environmental damage.
2017 – shooting at a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas – the attacker killed 27 people, including children, which became one of the largest tragedies in Texas history.
2021 – a petrol tanker explosion in Freetown, Sierra Leone – the disaster killed 154 people and injured more than three hundred others, causing a significant outcry and calls for higher safety standards.
Birthday of the State Automobile Inspectorate
On 5 November 1934, the history of the State Automobile Inspectorate (SAI) began when the Council of People’s Commissars of the USSR decided to ‘organise a State Automobile Inspectorate under the Central Department of Road Transport, which will have its own units in the Union and autonomous republics, krai and oblasts of the Union, as well as in areas with a large car fleet’. The main purpose of this structure was to combat the misuse and abuse of road transport in various departments and organisations of the USSR.
TsudorTrans of the USSR NKPS – the Central Directorate of Highways and Roads and Motor Transport – was responsible for organising traffic and controlling transport. Specialists to work in this area were trained in only five cities, one of which was Kharkiv, where the Kharkiv Automobile and Road Institute (Kharkiv Automobile and Road Institute) operated. In 1931, this institution developed and introduced unified licence plates for vehicles in the country. The plates had a white background, four black Arabic numerals, a letter and two hyphens.
At the end of 1935, TsudorTrans ceased to exist as an independent organisation and was transferred to the NKVD (People’s Commissariat of Internal Affairs).
A missile cruiser with gas turbine units is laid down
On 5 November 1976, the Slava missile cruiser, the lead ship of a series of six first gas-turbine cruisers in the USSR, was laid down at the 445th dock of the 61 Kommunar Shipyard in Mykolaiv. It was launched in 1979 and joined the Black Sea Fleet at the end of 1982. In February of the following year, the cruiser was officially included in the Red Banner Black Sea Fleet. In the West, these cruisers were nicknamed ‘aircraft carrier killers’ due to their ability to deliver powerful strikes against large enemy surface ships, ensure the combat stability of ship anti-submarine groups, as well as provide air defence for remote formations and fire support for landing parties.
In 1991, the Slava cruiser underwent a major overhaul in Mykolaiv. In 1996, it was renamed Moskva and became the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
On 24 February 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Moskva cruiser took part in the seizure of Zmeinyi Island, where Ukrainian border guards responded to the demand to surrender the ship with a famous phrase that became a symbol of resistance.
‘Moskva also took part in the naval blockade of Odesa, Mykolaiv and Ochakiv. However, on 13 April 2022, the cruiser was hit by Ukrainian Neptune cruise missiles and sank 80 miles from Odesa on 14 April.
The loss of the Moskva, a Ukrainian-built cruiser, was Russia’s most significant military loss in the war with Ukraine. The wreckage, which now lies at the bottom of the Black Sea, was entered in the register of underwater cultural heritage sites of Ukraine under the number 2064.
