On June 18, Ukraine celebrates the Day of the precinct police officer, and the world celebrates the International Day of Combating Hate Speech, the International Day of Panic, and the Birthday of the Baby Stroller. On this day, in different eras, events took place that left a noticeable mark in world, European, and Ukrainian history.
Precinct Police Officer’s Day
This professional holiday was established in 2004. It became the official continuation of the Soviet Precinct Police Inspector’s Day, which existed since 1923. After the reform of law enforcement agencies in 2015 and the liquidation of the militia, the position of precinct inspector was transformed into the position of precinct police officer, but its essence remained almost unchanged — it is work directly with people on the ground.
The district officer solves a wide range of issues — from minor family conflicts to participation in the arrest of suspects. In peacetime, the workload for one precinct officer could exceed the norm by 2-3 times, as the shortage of personnel remained chronic. After the start of a full-scale war, the volume of work increased even more: the tasks of maintaining law and order in conditions of martial law, combating looting, assisting displaced persons, patrolling and participating in stabilization measures were added.
After the start of a full-scale war, district police officers in Ukraine received an additional front of work that goes far beyond their traditional functions. In many regions, it was the precinct officers who were the first to take on the task of maintaining law and order in the new conditions, when problems with looting, attempts at lynching, panic, and internal conflicts in communities intensified.
Precinct officers play a special role during a full-scale invasion in front-line areas, temporarily occupied territories, and areas under fire. They document the consequences of hostilities, help evacuate civilians, organize humanitarian aid, coordinate the interaction of residents with military administrations, military and territorial defense, and help families who have lost their homes.
In relatively peaceful regions, district leagues are responsible for the flow of internally displaced persons: registration of displaced persons, verification of documents, processing of applications for temporary housing, monitoring of conflicts in collective living quarters. The precinct officers also work with the families of soldiers who are in the combat zone, with the families of the dead, and are engaged in the prevention of domestic violence, which increased due to the stresses of wartime.
Responding to the growing number of frauds, including pseudo-volunteering, humanitarian aid scams, and financial scams through social networks became a separate direction. Precincts are often the first point of contact for citizens with the law enforcement system in such cases.
In most Ukrainian communities, the precinct police officer has remained the main person to whom people turn in any difficult situations — from the loss of documents to the search for missing relatives and the settlement of conflicts that arise due to the pressure of war on the psyche of society.
Interesting facts
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, by 2022, about 8,000 precinct officers were officially working in Ukraine, although the need exceeded 12,000.
In the first months of the full-scale invasion, district officers remained in many front-line towns—they were among the first to document the effects of shelling and assist in evacuations.
The training of precinct officers in Ukraine has partially changed since 2018: programs have been introduced to improve psychological stability, mediate conflicts, and work with victims of domestic violence.
In some local authorities after the police reform, the precinct officers actually became the main communicators between the community and state structures.
International Day Against Hate Speech
The day was established by the United Nations in 2021 as part of a global strategy to counter the spread of hate speech, misinformation, xenophobia and incitement to violence. The day is designed to draw attention to the danger posed by hate speech as a tool for destabilization, fueling conflicts, manipulating public consciousness and violating human rights.
The definition of hate speech in UN documents covers any form of communication – written, spoken or visual – that attacks or uses language that is derogatory or discriminatory against people or groups based on race, ethnic origin, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation or other characteristics. The UN pays special attention to the connection of hate speech with genocide, terrorism, wars, ethnic cleansing and massive violations of human rights.
Programs launched in connection with this date include social media monitoring, training of journalists, monitoring of propaganda, and support for victims. Special emphasis is placed on the role of states, media and educational systems in curbing the rhetoric of hatred at the stage of its emergence.
The International Day Against Hate Speech does not have specific celebrations or events, its task is to constantly keep the focus of society’s attention on this problem.
Interesting facts
The date of this day coincides with the adoption of the UN Action Plan on Combating Hate Speech, which was approved in June 2019.
A 2020 UN report noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has become a powerful catalyst for the rise of online hate speech, from xenophobia to anti-Semitism and anti-immigrant rhetoric.
According to UNESCO research, more than 35% of young people regularly encounter hate speech on social networks.
In a number of countries, in particular in Germany and France, on the basis of UN initiatives, separate laws have been adopted that oblige social networks to promptly delete content with manifestations of hate speech.
According to the UN analysis, hate speech often serves as a “preparatory stage” for mass crimes – before the genocides in Rwanda, Bosnia, Myanmar, the mass dissemination of hostile rhetoric preceded the start of violence.
International Panic Day
It is an unofficial psychological holiday that arose in the expert environment and among psychotherapeutic communities as a way to draw attention to the phenomenon of panic states, panic attacks, anxiety disorders and the wide impact of stress on the psyche.
The idea of this day is not to promote panic, but to show the importance of studying it, understanding the mechanisms of the development of panic disorders and correct response. Panic is an intense emotional reaction to danger, accompanied by a feeling of loss of control, sudden fear, physical symptoms: palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, tremors. At the same time, uncontrolled panic in mass situations can provoke accidents, stampedes, and disorder.
Psychologists note that anxiety disorders and panic attacks have become one of the most common mental problems of the 21st century, and after the pandemic and against the background of military conflicts, their number has increased even more. This day reminds of the importance of timely diagnosis, psychotherapy, medical care and prevention, as well as the culture of psychological literacy.
Interesting facts
According to the WHO, panic disorders are recorded in approximately 3% of the adult population of the planet.
A panic attack can last from a few minutes to an hour, but the peak period in most cases lasts 10-15 minutes.
In the USA, panic attacks are officially classified in the DSM-5 (psychiatric diagnostic classification) as a separate diagnosis — panic disorder.
One of the most studied physiological bases of panic attacks is hyperactivation of the amygdala and imbalance of the serotonin and adrenaline systems.
The first systematic scientific works on panic attacks appeared only in the 1960s and 1970s. Before that, for a long time, panic states were mistakenly considered exclusively cardiac or somatic problems.
Baby carriage birthday
It was on this day in 1889 that the American William Richards received a patent for his improved model of a baby carriage, which laid the foundation for the design of modern carriages. Its development became a turning point: for the first time, the idea of a rotating cradle that could rotate in any direction, as well as independent rotation of the front wheels, which greatly facilitated maneuvering during movement, was implemented.
By this time, baby carriages had existed for almost a century and a half, but they had completely different features. The first models were created in Europe in the 18th century. Their design was more reminiscent of small carriages designed for riding – children’s carriages were harnessed by goats, ponies or even dogs. They were bulky, heavy, expensive and available only to rich families. The focus was on decorativeness rather than practicality or child safety. Parents did not push the cart – it was pulled by animals or staff.
The development of the industrial revolution and the appearance of new materials – steel, rubber, lightweight alloys – in the middle of the 19th century gradually made it possible to create carts that could be controlled by hand. But even these models remained difficult to move, especially on uneven roads. An improvement proposed by William Richards in 1889 made it possible to turn the baby carriage from a status item into a mass functional means of child care.
In the 20th century, the development of carts went at a much faster pace. There are models with interchangeable blocks for newborns and older children, back adjustment, protection from the sun and rain, safety belts. A special breakthrough occurred after the Second World War, when, thanks to the aviation industry, aluminum alloys began to be used en masse — carts became lighter, more compact, and more complex. It was after that that they became an object of everyday use in the middle class.
In 1965, aeronautical engineer Owen McLaren invented the first folding cane model, a compact cart that was easy to fold with one hand and weighed half as much as conventional models. This principle of composition has been preserved to this day.
A modern baby carriage is a complex engineering design that takes into account cushioning, center of gravity, ventilation, safety, ease of transportation, and resistance to weather conditions. The history of a baby carriage is an example of how a household item went from a luxury item to a mass and technologically advanced product.
Interesting facts
The first known baby carriage was made in 1733 by the Englishman William Kent on the order of the Duke of Devonshire for his children. It was a wooden carriage decorated with luxurious cloth and pulled by animals.
In the first patents of the 19th century, carts had the appearance of closed cabins on springs – heavy, with bulky wheels, with a high center of gravity, which made them unstable.
Richards’ patent of 1889 actually became the basis of modern principles – rotating cradle, maneuverability, hand control, rotating front wheels.
In the 1920s, the United States began to mass-produce cheaper steel carts—affordable to the middle class.
In the 1940s, the first carts with braking systems appeared.
Owen McLaren invented the folding cane cart after his daughter complained about the difficulty of transporting the cart during plane trips.
According to research, modern strollers are tested according to standards that include more than 200 parameters of safety, maneuverability and ergonomics.
Historical events on this day
1583 the world’s first life insurance contract was concluded in London. This step laid the foundation for the development of the insurance industry as it functions today. Before this insurance mainly related to sea transportation, cargo and ships, but life insurance opened a fundamentally new direction in the financial system.
1754 construction of the fortress of St. Elizabeth began on the territory of modern Ukraine. It was laid by the Russian military to strengthen the southern borders of the empire. Later, the city of Yelysavetgrad grew up on this place, which was later renamed Kirovograd, and since 2016 it has been officially called Kropyvnytskyi.
1815 was the date of Napoleon Bonaparte’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, ending his attempt to regain power during the so-called Hundred Days. The battle was the final collapse of the Napoleonic empire and established a new political balance in Europe, which was determined at the Congress of Vienna.
1817 Waterloo Bridge across the Thames River was opened in London. It was built as a symbol of victory over Napoleon. The bridge became an important transport artery of the British capital and remains so to this day, having undergone a number of reconstructions.
1837 Spain adopted a new Constitution. It consolidated liberal changes in the state system and became an attempt to stabilize the political situation in the conditions of internal struggle between supporters of the old order and supporters of reforms.
1881 in Europe, the so-called “Union of the Three Emperors” – a diplomatic alliance between the German Empire, Austria-Hungary and the Russian Empire – was restored. This alliance was intended to maintain stability in Europe, contain revolutionary movements and minimize the likelihood of military conflicts between major powers. Despite the agreement, the union remained fragile due to contradictions between its members.
1934 Roman Shukhevych was arrested in Poland in connection with the murder of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Bronislaw Peratsky. The terrorist attack was organized by members of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. Although Shuhevich did not directly participate in the attempt, the Polish authorities suspected him of complicity. After his arrest, he spent several months in prison.
1939 In Kanev, a monument to Taras Shevchenko was opened on Chernechaya Gora, the place of his burial. This became a landmark event in the history of Ukrainian national revival, which had a symbolic meaning in the period of interwar instability and pressure on Ukrainian culture.
1940 after the defeat of France in the war with Germany, General Charles de Gaulle addressed the French with a historic speech on the radio from London. In it, he stated that “only the battle has been lost, but not the war”, and called on his compatriots to continue resistance. His appeal effectively launched the French Resistance Movement against the Nazi occupation.
1946 Italy was officially declared a republic. This cemented the results of a referendum in which the citizens of the country abandoned the monarchy after the Second World War and chose a republican form of government.
1972 a British European Airways Trident 1C plane flying from London to Brussels crashed near London. 118 people died as a result of the plane crash. It became one of the most massive aviation tragedies in Great Britain at that time.
1976 the independence of the Seychelles is proclaimed. The former British colony gained sovereignty and began to form its own state system.
1991 The Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR adopted a resolution on celebrating the Independence Day of Ukraine. The date of the celebration — July 16 — was chosen in honor of the adoption of the Declaration on State Sovereignty of Ukraine in 1990. After the declaration of independence in August 1991, the date of the celebration changed to August 24.
2000 The Lviv City Council decided to ban the broadcasting of Russian-language songs in public places of the city. This step became an element of the protection of the Ukrainian language and culture in the conditions of the dominance of Russian-language content in many areas.
2023 In the Atlantic Ocean, there was a disaster of the bathyscaphe “Titan” of the company OceanGate, which carried out a tourist dive to the wreckage of the “Titanic”. The bathyscaphe collapsed under pressure at great depth, killing all five people on board. This accident caused a wide international response and discussions about the safety of deep-sea tourist expeditions.
