January 26 is celebrated in Ukraine as the Day of the employee of the control and audit service, in the world – the International Day of Customs, the World Day of Environmental Education and the International Day without the Internet.
January 26, 3500 BC is considered the symbolic date of the invention of beer by the ancient Sumerians.
Day of the employee of the Control and Audit Service of Ukraine
On January 26, Ukraine celebrates the professional holiday of employees of the control and audit service – an important link of state administration responsible for checking the effectiveness of the use of budget funds, compliance with financial discipline and prevention of corruption. This holiday was established in honor of the adoption in 1993 of the Law “On the State Control and Audit Service in Ukraine”, which laid the foundations of its functioning.
The Control and Audit Service of Ukraine (KRU) was created in a difficult period of the formation of an independent state, when the government faced challenges in managing state resources. The law passed in 1993 defined the legal and organizational basis of its work, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability in the financial sphere.
The main functions of the service included the inspection of state enterprises, institutions, organizations and budgetary institutions for compliance with legislation in financial and economic activities. Its activities are aimed at detecting violations, embezzlement and irrational use of state funds.
The modern control and audit service (after reorganization and inclusion of its functions in the State Audit Service of Ukraine) performs important financial control tasks. It is a body that stands guard over the effective management of budget funds, prevention of their inappropriate use, and minimization of financial risks for the state.
Thanks to the work of auditors, cases of corruption, inefficient use of funds, and financial fraud are revealed. This contributes to increasing public trust in state institutions and ensuring transparency in the use of state resources.
Interesting facts
Over the years of the service’s existence, thousands of violations in financial and economic activity were discovered, which allowed to return significant funds to the state budget.
In modern conditions, audits are increasingly carried out using digital technologies, which provides more prompt and accurate data analysis.
In 2015, the KRU was integrated into the State Audit Service of Ukraine, which made it possible to optimize the work of the state financial control system.
The Ukrainian Control and Audit Service actively cooperates with international organizations in the field of audit, which helps to introduce the best global practices into the system of state control.
International Customs Day
This day was founded in honor of the establishment of the World Customs Organization (WCO), which began its activities in 1953. At the first session of the Customs Cooperation Council (now WMO), representatives of 17 countries gathered in Brussels to join forces to facilitate international trade, ensure border security and combat smuggling. Today, WMO unites more than 180 countries of the world, which accounts for 98% of the global trade volume.
The customs service plays a critical role in ensuring the economic security of states, regulating international trade and protecting the public from the illegal importation of goods such as drugs, weapons or counterfeit products. Its activities include not only the inspection of cargo, but also participation in the creation of economic incentives, ensuring proper taxation of trade and fighting corruption.
Interesting facts
The first mentions of customs appeared more than 2,000 years ago in ancient civilizations, where a fee was charged for transporting goods across the border.
The slogan of the World Customs Organization is “Safe trade for the benefit of the economy”.
Modern customs use advanced technologies such as scanners, drones and artificial intelligence to effectively control the movement of goods.
World Day of Environmental Education
World Environmental Education Day, which is celebrated annually on January 26, is an important reminder of the need to develop environmental awareness and knowledge that will help preserve the environment for future generations. This holiday arose as part of a global movement for the sustainable development and preservation of natural resources that are under threat due to human activity.
This date is associated with the establishment of the UNESCO-UNEP International Environmental Education Program, launched in 1975. The goal of the program was to create a single platform for raising awareness of the importance of environmental knowledge among schoolchildren, students and the entire population. Since then, this day has become a symbol of support for environmental education as an important tool in the fight against climate change, ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss.
Environmental education is designed to teach people to be aware of their impact on the environment and to treat natural resources responsibly. These are not only educational programs in schools and universities, but also public initiatives that promote environmental education. In the face of growing environmental challenges – from climate change to ocean pollution – the role of such knowledge becomes key.
Interesting facts
The first concept of environmental education arose in the 1940s in the USA, when attention was focused on the connection between human activity and the state of the environment.
In 1975, UNESCO, in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), launched the International Environmental Education Program, which became the basis for the development of environmental programs in many countries of the world.
In some countries, environmental education is a mandatory part of the school curriculum. For example, in Finland, children learn ecology through integrated disciplines from an early age.
There are more than 60,000 ecological schools in the world, certified by the “Eco-Schools” program, which offer special educational programs focused on sustainable development.
International day without internet
The International Day Without the Internet, which is celebrated every year on the last Sunday of January, was created as a reminder of the need to maintain a balance between real life and the digital space. This day is designed to encourage people to give up using the Internet at least for one day in order to spend more time with family, friends, in nature or doing their favorite hobbies.
The holiday was born in the late 1990s, when the Internet began to rapidly integrate into everyday life. It was initiated by groups of activists who wanted to draw society’s attention to the fact that excessive use of the Internet can lead to isolation, loss of concentration, stress and addiction. Since then, this day has become an occasion to reflect on one’s own habits and to reevaluate the importance of live communication.
In today’s world, the Internet plays a key role in work, education, entertainment and communication. However, its excessive use can lead to “digital exhaustion”, when people lose the boundaries between work and rest, immersing themselves in an endless stream of information. A day without internet offers an opportunity to stop for a moment, disconnect from the network and focus on the real world.
Interesting facts
For the first time, the idea of celebrating the Day without the Internet arose in the USA, where activists sought to encourage people to digital detox.
In many countries, schools, organizations and cultural institutions support this day by organizing activities without the use of digital technologies.
Paradoxically, it is young people who most actively join initiatives aimed at giving up the Internet, seeing it as a challenge or an experiment.
Research shows that even a short break from the Internet can significantly reduce stress levels and improve mood.
In many countries, this day is called a “digital detox” and it is gaining popularity among those who are looking for ways to restore balance between their offline and online lives.
Historical events on this day
1244 year – In written chronicles, for the first time, there is a mention of the settlement of Berlin, which eventually became the capital of Germany and one of the most important cities in Europe.
1500 year – Europeans who made research trips to South America reached Brazil. It was on this day that the mouth of the Amazon River was opened – the largest river in the world, which plays a key role in maintaining the global ecological balance.
1582 year – Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth signed the Yam-Zapole Peace Treaty. This truce for 10 years effectively ended the long Livonian War that had been going on since 1558. The peace treaty defined new borders and temporarily stabilized relations between the parties.
1788 year – The British fleet under the command of Arthur Philip landed in Port Jackson Bay in Australia. It was on this day that the first European settlement on the continent was founded – Sydney, which later became a large metropolis.
1875 year – American engineer George Green patented a new invention – a drill that worked on electric batteries. This invention significantly influenced the development of medicine and dentistry, providing new opportunities in the treatment of patients.
1893 year – Karl Benz, one of the founders of the automobile industry, created a four-wheeled car. This vehicle became the basis for the development of high-speed racing cars that were popular in the following decades.
1918 year – During the Ukrainian revolution, the Bolshevik troops under the leadership of Mykhailo Muravyov captured Kyiv after an assault. This became one of the most tragic events of the period of the struggle for the independence of Ukraine.
1919 year – Nestor Makhna’s army concluded an agreement with the Bolsheviks on joint military operations. This treaty had a tactical nature, because the alliance between the two parties did not last long due to ideological differences.
1923 year – In Kharkiv, which was then the capital of the Ukrainian SSR, the literary organization “Hart” was created. Her activities contributed to the development of Ukrainian culture, literature and art in the 1920s.
1926 year – John Bird, an engineer and inventor from Scotland, first demonstrated a working television system. His invention became the basis for modern television, which influenced the development of mass media.
1934 year – Poland and Germany signed the Hitler-Pilsudski Pact. The agreement became a symbol of an attempt to stabilize relations between the two states, but later its violation led to the tragic events of the Second World War.
1945 year – The Soviet army liberated the Polish city of Auschwitz and the death camp located there. It became a symbol of victory over the Nazi policy of genocide. Subsequently, the camp was used by the Soviet authorities until 1949.
1962 year – In the USA, the space station “Ranger-3” was launched, which was supposed to deliver scientific equipment to the moon. However, the mission ended in failure due to technical problems.
1990 year – In the Belarusian SSR, the Belarusian language was declared the only state language. This decision had a significant cultural and political impact on the formation of the national identity of Belarusians.
1992 year – Ukraine has established official diplomatic relations with Japan, starting a new stage of cooperation between the two countries.
1993 year – The Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists was founded, which became an important center of the national-political movement of independent Ukraine.
2000 year – In Argentina, archaeologists found the remains of the largest dinosaur that ever existed on the planet. This find was an important discovery in paleontology.
2001 year – A tragedy occurred in the Black Sea: the Ukrainian ship “Memory of Mercury” sank. There were 54 people on board, 12 of whom died and eight are still missing.
The invention of beer
January 26, 3500 BC is considered the symbolic date of the invention of beer by the ancient Sumerians. According to legend, it was on this day that the gods gave mankind the recipe for making a drink that became an integral part of the culture of many peoples of the world. The ancient Sumerians even had a goddess-patron of brewing – Ninkasi, who was glorified in hymns. The recipe for the drink is described on clay tablets with cuneiform writing found by archaeologists:
“Ninkasi, you collect sprouted grain with a big shovel,
You mix sourdough with fragrant herbs in a vat…”.
A cuneiform inscription with this recipe was discovered by the German archaeologist Eduard Huber, and the history of Sumerian beer shows a deep connection between the divine and the human. The legend says that the gods, creating people from clay, were drunk with beer, which is why humanity turned out to be imperfect.
The Sumerians called beer “the drink of the gods” and had their own special approach to its consumption. The drink was unfiltered, with remnants of bread, grains, fruits and herbs, so it was drunk through reed pipes. The brewing of beer was exclusively done by women, because Ninkasi herself watched over the process. The Sumerians even had a proverb: “Not knowing beer is not knowing joy.”
After the Sumerians, the art of brewing spread among many peoples. In Babylon, King Hammurabi paid special attention to the quality of beer and even included two beer laws in his “Code of Hammurabi”:
- The merchant had to be thrown into the water for overpriced beer.
- If a brewer produced a poor quality drink, he was forced to drink his own beer to death.
The Egyptians perfected brewing technology using wheat, and Queen Cleopatra imposed taxes on beer to replenish the coffers. Germanic tribes added laurel, wormwood and heather to beer, and European monks started the tradition of creating beer with the taste we are used to. The oldest brewery in the world, Weihenstephan, founded in 1040 at the monastery, is still operating.
The ancient Greeks believed that beer was invented by Sisyphus, the son of Zeus and Gaia. He created a drink by mixing barley, water and spices to bring joy to people and make their lives easier. In Roman mythology, beer was attributed to Julius the Invincible, the son of Mars and Ceres, who also gave people the recipe for beer.
In China, beer is mentioned in legends about the hero Chango, who discovered the secret of the drink and passed it on to the people.
Beer was known in Ukraine as early as the 17th century. For example, in Kharkiv in 1690, the Life Guards Major Foma Khrushchev is mentioned, who not only owned his own brewery, but also supervised the work of four others, monitoring the economical use of barley. Due to this, the drink pleased people with its taste.
The history of beer demonstrates how this drink has accompanied humanity for thousands of years, becoming not only a part of culture, but also a symbol of social interaction. From Sumerian tablets to modern breweries, beer leaves its mark in the history of every nation.
