July 11 is World Population Day, Srebrenica Genocide Remembrance Day in the European Union, World Horse Day and World Barbecue Day. Also, on this day in different years, humanity made discoveries, changed state borders, said goodbye to illusions, and launched new eras.
World Population Day
This date was established by the United Nations in 1989 as a day dedicated to global demographic issues. It is tied to July 11, 1987, when the population of the Earth exceeded 5 billion. From that moment, humanity began to be more actively aware of the scale of changes brought about by the growth or decline of the population in different regions.
This day is not a holiday and does not involve any celebrations. Its main function is to draw attention to real changes in the structure of the population: aging in developed countries, declining birth rates, internal and external migration, an increase in the number of urban residents, demographic skew between regions, labor shortages and the burden on social and medical systems.
Demography is directly related to the economy, the labor market, medicine, ecology, education and the pension system. The lack of people of working age in some countries is combined with a high level of unemployment in others. In some regions, there are not enough resources for newborns, in others – for the care of the elderly. The birth rate is declining almost everywhere, and the average age of the population is increasing. In some countries, more than a quarter of residents are over 65 years old.
The issue of population is also closely related to climate change. The more people live on the planet, the higher the demand for resources: water, food, land, energy. In regions where the population is growing rapidly, the level of environmental stress, pollution, deforestation and soil degradation is much higher.
Interesting facts
In 1800, there were about 1 billion people on the planet. In July 2025 — more than 8.1 billion. The greatest growth occurred in the 20th century.
India’s population has already surpassed China’s. At the same time, the average age in China is much higher – the country is rapidly aging.
In 2023, the number of people over the age of 80 in Japan will exceed 10% of the total population for the first time. Empty houses have been sold in the country for several years in a row for a nominal amount or for free.
In more than 100 countries, the birth rate no longer provides simple renewal of generations (lower than 2.1 children per woman). In South Korea, it is less than 0.8.
In most developed countries, the average age of a woman at the birth of her first child exceeds 30 years.
Most of the world’s population today lives in cities, not in villages. 100 years ago it was the other way around.
In Africa, the birth rate remains high, but due to the economic situation, migration and armed conflicts, many countries in the region have an unstable demographic structure.
In Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, the population has decreased by millions over the past 30 years. Partly due to emigration, partly due to a decrease in the birth rate, high mortality and an aging population.
In 2025, more than 60% of the world’s population will be people of working age. But in many European countries, this proportion is rapidly decreasing.
Remembrance Day for the victims of the Srebrenica genocide in the European Union
On July 11, the countries of the European Union commemorate the victims of the genocide committed in Srebrenica in 1995. This day commemorates the death of more than eight thousand Bosnian Muslims, mostly men and teenagers, who were shot by Bosnian Serb forces after the capture of the city of Srebrenica in July 1995.
This crime took place in the conditions when Srebrenica had the status of a zone protected by the UN and a Dutch peacekeeping contingent was in the city. Despite this, units under the command of General Ratko Mladic captured the city, separated men from women and children, took them to the surrounding forests and villages, where they were systematically shot and buried in mass graves for several days. Some of the bodies were reburied later in an attempt to hide the scale of the crime.
The genocide in Srebrenica was qualified by the International Tribunal in The Hague as a war crime and a crime against humanity. The trials lasted more than 20 years. Bosnian Serb leaders Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic were sentenced to life imprisonment. Thousands of victims’ relatives are still identifying remains exhumed from mass graves.
The resolution of the European Parliament, which established July 11 as an official day of remembrance, was adopted in 2009. This date indicates not only the scale of the tragedy, but also the failure of the international community, which could not prevent mass killings even in the presence of peacekeepers. The events in Srebrenica became one of the most acute lessons for the UN, NATO and the EU in responding to ethnic violence and genocide.
Little known facts
More than 8,300 victims were killed over several days, most of them unarmed men between the ages of 13 and 77. Some are already in captivity, with raised hands.
More than 80 mass graves were discovered in and around Srebrenica, many of which were secondary—bodies were reburied to cover up traces of the crime.
DNA identification of the victims is still ongoing. Some of the remains have not yet been fully assembled — individual bodies were fragmented as a result of multiple burials and movements.
The Dutch government in 2002 admitted partial responsibility for the failure of peacekeepers to protect the population. In 2019, the Dutch Supreme Court confirmed that the country bears limited liability for the deaths of approximately 350 men who were taken from a UN base and handed over to Serbian forces.
2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the tragedy. Most of those convicted of the crime are former Bosnian Serb officers, soldiers and officials, but many middle-level figures have escaped prosecution or are in hiding.
The Bosnian war of 1992-1995 killed more than 100,000 people, most of them civilians. Srebrenica was the largest episode of mass destruction on the European continent since World War II.
World horse day
This is a new date in the calendar of international initiatives approved under the auspices of the United Nations. The purpose of this date is to remind about the real importance of horses in the development of mankind, as well as about the modern threats that these animals face around the world.
The horse is one of the few animals whose role in people’s lives was not decorative or secondary, but decisive: from agriculture and transport to war and rescue. Horse traction was used in agriculture, in mines, on construction sites, in carriages and sleighs. For centuries, it was impossible to imagine any movement over long distances without a horse. Until the 20th century, the horse remained the main assistant in work and battle. Veterans of many wars, including the First World War, remember horses not as a tool, but as comrades-in-arms who died alongside people.
Despite the fact that in the 21st century technology has almost completely supplanted horses from everyday life, they continue to perform important functions: in rescue operations in hard-to-reach areas, in rehabilitation programs for people with disabilities (hippotherapy), in border guards, in mountainous areas and in the spheres of leisure, culture and sports.
At the same time, in many countries, the conditions for keeping horses remain far from humane: unregulated competitions, lack of veterinary supervision, overloading, unsuitable working conditions. This day is also designed to draw attention to the exploitation of animals in tourist and traditional entertainment, as well as to the preservation of local breeds that are gradually disappearing.
Interesting facts
During the First World War, about 8 million horses died. Most of them are from exhaustion, lack of food, disease and artillery fire. In many armies, horses were considered official “soldiers”.
Horses are able to distinguish human emotions by facial expressions and voice. They have a high sensitivity to mood and tonality, which is used in therapeutic programs for children and veterans.
In a number of countries, including Canada, Great Britain, India and the United States, mounted police units still exist – not just as a tradition, but as an effective form of patrolling in parks and at mass events.
At the beginning of the 20th century, there were more than 6 million horses in Ukraine. After the Second World War – about 3 million. Today – less than 80 thousand. Many Ukrainian autochthonous breeds have disappeared or are on the verge of extinction.
During evacuations in mountainous or forested areas in a number of countries, rescue services use horses – animals better navigate difficult terrain than vehicles.
There are more than 400 breeds of horses. Many of them were bred specifically for certain climates or tasks — from coal mining to nomadic crossings in the desert. Many have disappeared due to technological progress and reduced demand.
In many countries, in particular in France, Italy, Kazakhstan, there is a legal trade in horse meat. But in others, sale and consumption are prohibited or taboo for historical or ethical reasons.
In the US, horses are still officially considered “non-domestic animals”, and in some states wild mustangs are given federal protection as an element of historical heritage.
World barbecue day
World Barbecue Day is not an officially set date at the level of the UN or national governments, but it is a popular informal initiative that falls on the second Friday of July every year. Its purpose is not to create another “holiday” in the calendar, but to celebrate a culinary tradition familiar to people in dozens of countries.
The term “barbecue” is of Turkic origin, but the very idea of cooking meat over an open fire using skewers, grates or wooden branches is found in the culture of almost every nation. Armenian horovats, Georgian mtsvadi, Bulgarian shish, Japanese yakutori, Chinese chuan, Lebanese kebab, Brazilian churraska, African suyu are all variations of the same basic technique: frying pieces of meat or vegetables over a fire.
The habit of cooking meat outdoors exists not only as a culinary practice, but also as a form of social contact. In many cultures, joint preparation of barbecue is not just a meal, but a way to strengthen ties in the family, community, and among friends. For some societies, it has a ritualistic, even symbolic meaning: for example, in some eastern regions, the preparation of barbecue accompanies weddings, farewell ceremonies, or important meetings.
In the 21st century, barbecue became a transnational phenomenon. It is prepared in cities and villages, at home and in restaurants, in nature, near the beach, in the country or in the yard. It is made from different types of meat: lamb, pork, veal, chicken, turkey, duck, as well as from fish, mushrooms, vegetables and even cheese. In the vegetarian version, kebabs can consist of eggplant, pepper, zucchini, potatoes, tofu or tempeh. The main thing is the open heat, the smell of smoke, the idea of togetherness and detachment from the daily routine.
Interesting facts
Archaeologists have found the oldest traces of cooking meat on skewers in Greece: clay stands for skewers more than 3,500 years old were found in the Santorini area.
In Japan, meat on skewers (yakutori) is served in specialized bars – yakutori, and it is one of the most popular forms of evening meals for office workers.
There are more than 20 types of kebabs in Turkey, from the classic adan kebab to regional variations with yogurt, pomegranate, pistachios or baked bread.
Many people marinate meat for barbecue (kavo) without vinegar, only with onions, salt and spices. It is believed that vinegar spoils the structure of meat.
In Latin America, barbecue is often made from the heart of an animal: anticucho in Peru is a classic street dish of beef heart on skewers, grilled over coals.
In the US, the barbecue format is not only a way of cooking, but also part of the local identity. Each state has its own sauces, marinades, wood species for smoke, and grilling techniques.
The world’s largest barbecue was recorded in Iran: the length of the finished meat row on skewers reached more than 2.5 km. Hundreds of cooks participated in the preparation.
Scientific studies have shown that the aroma of smoke from cherry, apple or grape wood is the most rich and pleasant, which is why it is most often used in cooking.
In modern culinary schools, there are entire courses dedicated to the art of cooking meat over an open fire, with learning the technology of marinating, working with coal and calculating temperature.
Historical events on this day
1576 — the English navigator Martin Frobisher, while searching for the northwestern route to Asia, approached the western coast of Greenland, which was then described for the first time as a separate land. Despite the fact that the territory itself had already been explored by the Scandinavians, it was Frobisher who introduced it to the map of the modern era.
1700 — an academic institution was created in Berlin, which later became the Berlin Academy of Sciences. Its initiator was Gottfried Leibniz. It aimed to unite experimental science, philosophy and public policy, and subsequently became one of the leading scientific centers of Europe.
1804 — a duel took place in the USA, which entered the history not only of the country, but also of world politics. Acting Vice President Aaron Burr mortally wounded Alexander Hamilton, the first US Treasury Secretary and one of the authors of the US Constitution. The event caused a shock in society and put an end to the careers of both participants.
1890 — Japan held the first ever parliamentary elections to the newly created House of Representatives, which became part of the Meiji reforms and a sign of the country’s transition to a modern political system. Only a narrow class of men with property and age qualifications took part in voting.
1921 — the Anglo-Irish war ended: after more than two years of hostilities, London and Dublin signed an armistice, which effectively recognized the autonomy of Ireland. This was a step towards the creation of the Irish Free State – the modern Republic of Ireland.
1933 — the International Convention on Narcotic Control was signed in Geneva under the auspices of the League of Nations. The document obliged states to limit the production, trade and distribution of narcotics for medical and scientific purposes only, establishing the legal basis for international anti-narcotics policy.
1940 — Romania was expelled from the League of Nations. The reason was its cooperation with Nazi Germany, in particular in matters of territorial changes and persecution of national minorities. This decision demonstrated the political isolation of countries that began to act in the shadow of fascist regimes.
1960 — the government of Czechoslovakia officially announced the “victory of socialism” and renamed the state the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. This formalized the complete political dominance of the Communist Party and cemented the one-party model for the next three decades.
1960 — on the same day, France agreed to grant independence to several African colonies: Dahomey (now Benin), Niger, Upper Volta (Burkina Faso), Ivory Coast, Chad, the Central African Republic, and the Republic of the Congo. This step became a key moment in the decolonization of Africa.
1987 — the world population has exceeded the limit of 5 billion people. According to the UN, it happened exactly on July 11. The event became a landmark for demographic science and prompted the creation of World Population Day.
1991 — in Japan, an attack was committed on the translator of Salman Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses into Japanese. Hitoshi Igarashi died from stab wounds inside the walls of the university. His death was linked to a fatwa issued in Iran against Rushdie and his collaborators after the book was published.
2001 — the American company Polaroid, known for its instant cameras, filed for bankruptcy. It became an example of how digital technology displaced the iconic brands of the analog era.
2008 — Apple opened the App Store — a digital distribution platform for iPhone applications. This ushered in a new phase in the history of mobile technology and created a market that quickly grew to billions of dollars a year.
2022 — the James Webb telescope sent the first scientific image — the deep field of the distant universe. The image, taken in the infrared spectrum, showed stars and galaxies formed several hundred million years after the Big Bang, and was the most detailed picture of space yet.
The story of Princess Olga
On July 11, 969, Princess Olga died – the only woman in the history of Russia canonized in the rank of Equal-to-the-Apostles. She went down in history not only as the first ruler of Kievan Rus, who concentrated all the power in her hands after the murder of her husband, Prince Igor, but also as the first to officially accept Christianity among the princely elite, predicting the spiritual and political direction of the state’s development. Her life is a combination of hard power, diplomatic foresight and inner transformation, which culminated in baptism.
The chronicler Nestor in “The Tale of Bygone Years” mentions that in 903 Olga was married to Prince Igor. In one of the chronicle lists, it is specified that she was then only 10 years old, therefore, the year of her birth is considered to be 893.
Olga’s origins remain a matter of controversy. According to one version, she was born in Pskov or Izborsk in a simple family. According to legend, in her youth she worked as a carrier across the river, where she met Prince Igor, helped him cross, and later became his wife. According to another version presented by the “New Volodymyr chronicler”, Olga came from the Bulgarian city of Pliska, and she was found for Igor by Prince Oleg Vischy. The story of its origin remained in the semi-legendary plane.
The most famous episode of her life is her revenge on the Drevlians for the death of her husband. The Drevlians, an East Slavic tribe, killed Prince Igor in 945, when he came to them again for tribute. Olga took power in Kyiv into her own hands and began a consistent campaign of revenge.
The first step was the destruction of the Drevlyan ambassadors, whom she ordered to be buried alive. Then, having received the new ambassadors, the princess invited them to the bath, where they were burned. At the third stage, she herself sent an embassy to the Drevlians with a request to arrange a trizna, a memorial ceremony for Igor. When the people of Drevlya held a feast near the grave, Olga’s wife killed about 5 thousand people.
The final blow was the siege of Iskorosten, the capital of the Drevlians. After a long siege, the princess suddenly announced that she was ready to forgive the Drevlians if they gave her “three pigeons and three sparrows” from each yard. When the birds were collected, tinder – dry fungi that smolder easily – was tied to their paws and set on fire. The birds returned to their nests under the roofs of the houses. A large-scale fire broke out in the city, which could not be extinguished. Iskorosten burned down, most of the inhabitants died, and the rest were sold into slavery.
It is interesting that Olga did not execute the children of the Drevlyan prince: in particular, a girl named Malusha and her brother Dobrynya got to the princely court as servants. It was Malusha who later became the mother of Volodymyr the Great, who baptized Rus.
After these events, Olga ruled for another 17 years. Her rule is considered more stable and effective than that of her husband. She carried out a reform of tribute collection: she organized “lessons” – fixed amounts of payments, and established “pogosts” – places where tribute was collected and trade was conducted. This is how she started the fiscal system of Russia.
The most important step in her life was the adoption of Christianity. She was probably baptized around 955, during a trip to Constantinople. Her baptism was the first step towards the Christianization of Russia – 30 years later, her grandson, Prince Volodymyr, would complete this task.
Princess Olga became the first in Russia to be recognized as a saint in both Orthodoxy and Catholicism. She is revered as the patroness of widows and newly converted Christians. Her cult is deeply rooted in the Ukrainian historical tradition. There is a state award – the Order of Princess Olga, which is awarded to women for their services in state, public or humanitarian life.
Thus, in the image of Olga, pagan vindictiveness and Christian state wisdom, hard power and foresight combined, which changed Russia both from the outside and from the inside.
Uprising of military settlers in Chuguyev
On July 11, 1819, an uprising of military settlers began in Chuguyev. This is an ancient Cossack center in the Slobozhan region, where the descendants of Cossacks who served in the Chuguyiv Ulan Regiment lived since the 18th century. Their position remained privileged for a long time: for their service, they were exempt from taxes and received supplies at the expense of the state. But everything changed in 1817, when Chuguiv and the surrounding villages were included in the system of military settlements – a new reform introduced in the Russian Empire at the initiative of Count Oleksiy Arakcheev.
From now on, the people of Chuguiv, receiving land and salary, undertook to maintain the military infrastructure at their own expense: to repair roads, buildings, barracks and maintain soldiers of regular units. This not only increased the burden on the local residents, but also effectively turned them into semi-military serfs.
On July 11, 1819, the situation exploded: on the background of the harvest, when the peasants were overloaded with work, they were ordered to prepare 103 thousand bushels of hay for the regimental horses. This caused indignation, and the Chuguyiv lance regiment refused to obey. Residents of nearby villages, including Balaklia, as well as Cossacks from the Don region, joined the uprising. In total, about 30,000 people.
The uprising was quickly and harshly suppressed: the government withdrew the troops of four infantry regiments armed with artillery. After the rebellion was suppressed, 1,104 people were arrested. 275 rebels were sentenced to death. Emperor Alexander I agreed to commute the sentence, but only on the condition of a full admission of guilt. Those who refused to “repent” were doomed.
On August 18, 1819, a demonstration punishment was carried out in Chuguyev: 40 convicts were driven through the “green corridor” – a formation of a thousand soldiers, each of whom was supposed to strike with a ramrod. Each convict had to endure twelve passes, that is, up to 12 thousand blows. It was almost impossible to survive after that. However, only three of the forty asked for forgiveness and were pardoned on the spot. The rest survived the execution to the end. 20 people died, 17 became disabled for life.
Count Arakcheev, who personally supervised the punishment, reported to the king: “The anger of the criminals was so great that out of 40 people, only three, repenting of their crime, asked for pardon.” At the same time, one of the soldiers, who later visited his comrades in the hospital, recalled: “Only by the heads could one guess that these were people, not chopped meat.”
The punishment also affected women: 29 women who participated in the uprising were publicly beheaded and expelled from Chuguyev. 400 rebels were deported to Orenburg.
The find of the Chinese Terracotta Army
On July 11, 1974, the famous Chinese Terracotta Army was found – one of the most outstanding archaeological finds in the world. This clay army, composed of realistically sculpted warriors, horses and chariots, was buried with the first emperor of China, Qin Shihuangdi, to accompany him in the afterlife.
It all started with a well that local villagers decided to dig for their own needs in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province. During the work, they came across fragments of terracotta figures in full combat gear. The find immediately attracted the attention of archaeologists. Soon, large-scale excavations were launched at the site, as a result of which three gigantic underground crypts were discovered. They found more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots and 520 horses, all made of clay, full-length, with weapons, in armor and in battle formations. At the same time, the figures were not the same: each warrior has unique facial features, individual expressions, hairstyles and elements of clothing that reflect his rank and function in the army. All crypts were equipped with a complex drainage system – to preserve the figures and architecture of underground structures.
Historians believe that the creation of the army lasted about 40 years and more than 700 thousand artisans and workers participated in it. The Terracotta Army was not only a funeral guard, but also a symbol of the power of the Qin Dynasty. It personified the ancient Chinese’s idea of life after death, where the emperor should have the same greatness and protection as he had during life.
Qin Shihuangdi is a figure who fundamentally changed the history of China. It was he who united the fragmented states under a single authority and in 221 BC. there are. proclaimed the creation of the first Chinese empire. By his order, the construction of the Great Wall of China began. He actively built palaces, mausoleums and fortifications, but the ruler’s megalomania exhausted the resources of the state and people.
After his death in 210 BC. there are. uprisings swept across the country. An empire that was supposed to last 10,000 years lasted only four—the Qin dynasty was overthrown, leaving behind a large-scale but short-lived centralized system.
In September 1987, the then French President Jacques Chirac, after a personal visit to Xi’an, called the Terracotta Army “the eighth wonder of the world.” He said:
“There were seven wonders in the world, and the discovery of the Terracotta Army could be said to be the eighth. No one who has not seen the pyramids can claim to have been in Egypt, and now I can say: those who have not seen these terracotta figures cannot claim to have visited China.”
