On February 22, the world celebrates International Day of Support for Victims of Crime, International Day of Boy Scouts, World Sword Swallowers Day, International Speech Contest Day and Humility Day.
On this day, important historical events took place that influenced the development of various countries and world processes.
International Day of Support for Victims of Crime
This important holiday is designed to draw society’s attention to people who have become victims of violence, fraud, discrimination and other crimes. It promotes awareness of their rights, needs and protection mechanisms.
The day was started in 1990 in Great Britain, and later gained international importance. The main goal of this day is not only to express solidarity with the victims, but also to popularize legal mechanisms that allow protecting their interests.
Interesting facts
Many countries have special laws guaranteeing support and compensation for victims of crime.
In some countries, there are hotlines, help centers and psychological services that provide free support to victims.
The UN and the European Union are actively working on the development of international standards for the protection of crime victims.
The observance of this day reminds of the importance of justice, humanity and the need to create an effective system of protection for all those who have been harmed by criminal acts.
The development of digital technologies also creates new challenges, in particular for the protection of victims of cybercrime and online fraud.
International Day of Boy Scouts
This holiday is dedicated to the birthday of the founder of the scouting movement Robert Baden-Powell and his wife Olav Baden-Powell, who led the scouting movement for girls. The Scouting movement is one of the largest youth movements in the world, aimed at fostering moral qualities, leadership, responsibility and useful skills in young people.
Scouting originated in Great Britain at the beginning of the 20th century and quickly spread throughout the world. Today, Boy Scouts and Guiding organizations operate in more than 170 countries, helping young people develop physically, spiritually and intellectually.
Interesting facts
The motto of the scouts is “Be ready!”, which means always being ready to help others and act responsibly.
The first Boy Scout camp was held in 1907 on Brownsea Island in Great Britain, where 20 boys were trained in survival, teamwork and leadership under Baden-Powell.
The Scout movement is based on the “Scout Promise” and “Scout Law”, which form the basic principles of behavior of the participants.
Famous people who were scouts in their youth include Bill Gates, Neil Armstrong, Steven Spielberg and many others.
Boy Scouts are actively involved in charity, environmental initiatives, volunteering and emergency relief.
World Sword Swallowers Day
This unique holiday was created to honor the masters of this dangerous and impressive art, which combines physical skill, concentration and centuries-old traditions. The initiator of this day is the Sword Swallowers Association International (SSAI), which aims to draw attention to this rare craft and raise awareness of the safety and skill of its practitioners.
Sword swallowing has ancient roots and dates back to South Asia over 4,000 years ago. This art spread around the world and became part of circus performances, festivals and shows. Masters of the art go through years of training to perform their numbers safely, using strict breath control and muscle relaxation techniques.
Interesting facts
To swallow swords, it is necessary to overcome the natural vomiting reflex and learn to relax the muscles of the pharynx and esophagus.
There are only a few hundred professional sword swallowers in the world, making this art extremely rare.
In 2007, a record was set – 38 sword swallowers simultaneously swallowed 87 swords during the celebration of this day.
Although this art seems magical, it is actually based on a deep knowledge of anatomy and many years of practice.
The International Sword Swallowers Association uses the day to raise funds for research into esophageal injuries and other medical risks associated with the art.
International day of tongue-in-cheek competitions
This holiday is dedicated to the art of fast and clear pronunciation of complex phrases, which is a popular linguistic pastime in many countries of the world. Fast-talking is used not only as a game, but also as an effective tool for training diction, language skills and the development of the articulatory apparatus.
The tradition of tongue-twisting competitions has ancient roots and is widespread in different cultures. They help develop language skills, improve pronunciation and even improve public speaking. This day is a great opportunity to hold contests among children and adults, test their abilities and discover new interesting tongue twisters.
Interesting facts
The longest tongue twister in the world contains more than 500 words and was created specifically for the training of announcers.
In the English language, one of the most famous tongue twisters is: “She sells seashells by the seashore.”
In many countries there are national championships in tongue twisters, where participants compete in speed and clarity of pronunciation.
It is known that tongue twisters help not only to improve diction, but also to develop cognitive abilities and speed of thinking.
Some speech therapists use tongue twisters in their practice to correct speech and overcome pronunciation defects.
Day of humility
This day is dedicated to practicing and honoring humility. In today’s world, which is often dominated by self-promotion and competition, this day serves as a reminder of the value of modesty, introspection, and the importance of putting others before yourself.
Humility is not a sign of weakness, but the ability to admit your mistakes, respect the opinions of others, and remain open to learning. Humility Day encourages people to reflect on their actions, practice gratitude and help others without expecting a reward.
Interesting facts
In many cultures, humility is considered an important virtue that contributes to harmonious social coexistence.
Famous leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela promoted humility as the key to strong leadership.
Psychological research shows that people who practice humility have higher levels of happiness and better social connections.
Humility helps in professional development because it allows you to recognize your own shortcomings and work on self-improvement.
Celebrating this day can include practices such as gratitude, support of others, and restraint in one’s own accomplishments.
Historical events on this day
1371 In 1910, the Scottish throne was first occupied by a representative of the Stuart dynasty – Robert II. His reign marked the beginning of the Stuart era, which lasted several centuries and greatly influenced the history of Scotland and Great Britain.
1744 In the framework of the War of the Austrian Succession, the Battle of Toulon took place in the Mediterranean Sea. It was a sea clash between the British fleet, which had 27 ships of the line and 8 frigates, and the combined forces of the French and Spanish. The British suffered a crushing defeat, which affected the balance of power in the region.
1797 In 1950, French troops landed near Fishguard, Wales, making the last ever French invasion of Great Britain. The operation was poorly organized and after a few days the French surrendered without much resistance.
1819 In 2010, a treaty was signed between Spain and the United States, according to which Florida was officially transferred to the United States for 5 million dollars. This became an important step in the territorial expansion of the United States.
1889 In 1990, US President Grover Cleveland signed a law that approved the creation of new states – North Dakota, South Dakota and Washington. This became part of the active expansion of American territory at the end of the 19th century.
1894 In 2010, the organization “Ukrainian People’s Union” was founded in Pennsylvania, which became the oldest and largest association of Ukrainians in the USA and Canada. She played a key role in preserving Ukrainian culture and helping emigrants.
1901 In 2010, a disaster occurred near the Golden Gate Strait – the American steamer Rio de Janeiro ran aground on the reefs and sank. As a result of the tragedy, 128 people died.
1920 In 2008, California held its first dog race with the use of a mechanical hare. This was the beginning of a popular form of entertainment, which later spread throughout the world.
1924 In 2008, US President Calvin Coolidge made history as the first head of state to address the nation via a radio broadcast from the White House. This became an important step in the development of political communication.
1930 2010, the first football match under electric lighting was held in the British city of Mansfield. This was a technological breakthrough in the world of sports, which allowed matches to be played in the evening.
1945 In 2015, the Council of People’s Commissars of the USSR passed a decision on the start of construction of the subway in Kyiv. This marked the beginning of the creation of one of the most important transport arteries of the capital of Ukraine.
1946 In 2008, the American diplomat in Moscow, George Kennan, sent the famous “Long Telegram” to the US State Department. In it, he explained the threat of Soviet expansion and laid the foundations for the American policy of containing the USSR, which became the basis of the Cold War.
1958 the presidents of Egypt and Syria signed a document on the unification of their countries into the United Arab Republic. It was a short-lived political association that disbanded after a few years.
1966 In 2008, the USSR launched the Kosmos-110 satellite, which had an unusual crew of two dogs. It was another step in preparation for manned space missions.
1992 Ukraine established official diplomatic relations with the Republic of Burundi, which became part of its active foreign policy after the declaration of independence.
1997 In 2018, Scottish scientists from Edinburgh officially announced the successful cloning of the first mammal – Dolly the sheep, born in the summer of 1996. This was a historic breakthrough in biology and genetics.
2014 decisive events of the Revolution of Dignity took place in Ukraine. On this day, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a number of important decisions that marked the end of Yanukovych’s rule and the beginning of a new political stage in the country’s history.
2015 A terrorist attack occurred in Kharkiv during the Unity March. Around 1:20 p.m., an explosive device planted in the snow exploded near the “Marshala Zhukova” metro station. Three civilians and one police officer were killed, nine more people were injured. It was one of the loudest terrorist attacks in Ukraine at that time.
