June 29 is the Day of Youth and Children’s Public Organizations in Ukraine, and the International Day of Industrial Design and the International Day of the Tropics in the world. On this day, in different eras, events took place that left a mark in the political, military, cultural, and scientific and technological history of the world.
Day of youth and children’s public organizations of Ukraine
This holiday was introduced by the decree of the President of Ukraine in 2008 in order to support the activities of youth and children’s associations operating in the civil sector.
This day aims to recognize the role of such organizations in the socialization of youth, education of civic consciousness, development of volunteering, leadership skills, education through informal platforms. There is no state funding program, separate law or unified register of such organizations at the national level. The activities of youth and children’s NGOs are regulated by the general law on public associations.
Interesting facts
As of the beginning of 2025, there are more than 101,000 public organizations operating in Ukraine, including youth and children’s organizations.
Some youth NGOs receive accreditation as “national youth councils”, which gives them the opportunity to represent Ukraine in the Council of Europe, the European Youth Forum and participate in Erasmus+ programs.
In the regions, so-called youth councils are often formed under the authorities, but most of them work only nominally, without powers and funding.
According to research results, the level of trust of young people in non-governmental organizations is many times higher than in political parties and authorities. However, only a small part of young people participate in public life.
Despite the presence of declared state support, most active youth organizations exist thanks to grants from international donors or volunteer contributions.
International Day of Industrial Design
On June 29, the world celebrates the International Day of Industrial Design. The holiday was introduced in honor of the creation of the International Design Organization (WDO) on June 29, 1957. It was founded to protect the interests of professional designers, spread knowledge in the field of industrial design and increase its role in society.
The organization promotes the idea that industrial design is a tool that shapes the functionality, safety and aesthetics of products that people use every day. This day is designed to remind that design is not a decoration, but an important part of engineering, medicine, transport, architecture and ecology. The holiday brings together designers, engineers, teachers, students and manufacturers around the world.
Interesting facts
In 2009, in honor of this day in Shanghai, a giant installation of 2,000 plastic buckets was built to show how design can change the perception of even the cheapest objects.
In 2013, the celebration in Istanbul was turned into a flash mob: designers took to the streets with signs “We don’t make beautiful things – we solve problems.”
In 2017, the WDO said that the celebration of this day should shift from presentations to intervention in real crises – on this day, designers developed temporary shelters for Syrian refugees.
In 2021, for the International Day of Industrial Design in Norway, a tractor was presented, the design of which was developed taking into account the psychological burden on the farmer – with a coating against depression.
One of the most unexpected projects presented on this holiday is a container for organ transplants developed in Canada. It allows the heart to be stored for up to 12 hours — twice as long as the standard method.
In India, in 2016, on Industrial Design Day, designers held a hackathon to create toilets for women who are not afraid of hacking, are clean and work without electricity.
In 2023, Ukrainian designers presented a modular shelter made of composite materials within the framework of this day — it can be installed in 30 minutes even in the school yard.
International Day of the Tropics
This day was founded on the initiative of the United Nations in 2016, its purpose is to draw attention to the environmental, social and economic problems characteristic of the tropical belt of the Earth, where more than a third of the world’s population lives.
The tropics contain much of the planet’s biodiversity, but these regions also face the greatest risks—deforestation, poverty, climate change, chronic instability, soil loss, and poor health and education. It is predicted that by 2050 the majority of the Earth’s population will live in the tropics, which makes the challenges even more acute.
Interesting facts
Tropical regions occupy 40% of the Earth’s surface, but about 80% of all known species of flora and fauna are concentrated in them.
95% of all forest loss in the world occurs in the tropics, especially in the Amazon, Congo and Southeast Asia.
Although the tropics are rich in natural resources, 43% of children in these regions do not have access to basic education.
The rate of global warming in the tropics exceeds the global average, which threatens the existence of a number of unique ecosystems.
Tropics Day was introduced in honor of the publication of the first global report on the state of the tropics under the auspices of James Cook University (Australia).
40% of the Earth’s population (more than 3 billion people) lives in the tropical zone. By 2050, this share will increase to more than 50%.
The tropics are home to 55 of the world’s 75 largest cities with the highest population growth rates.
60% of all malaria deaths occur in tropical Africa.
Tropical regions have the lowest life expectancy, especially in Central Africa and parts of South Asia.
By 2030, almost 70% of the global burden of disease related to climate change will be concentrated in tropical countries.
Despite the natural resources, more than 30% of the population of the tropics live below the poverty line.
Access to drinking water and sanitation is still below 50% in a number of tropical countries.
Historical events on this day
1174 — Poltava (then Ltava) is mentioned for the first time in the Ipatiev Chronicle, which is the oldest written mention of the city, which would later become an important center of Left Bank Ukraine.
1579 — There was a brutal punitive action in Maastricht: Spanish troops trying to suppress an uprising in the Netherlands massacred the city’s civilian population after an assault. The event became one of the symbols of Spain’s brutality in the Eighty Years’ War.
1613 — In London, the original “Globus” theater burned down during the screening of Shakespeare’s historical drama “Henry VIII”. The cause was cannon fire, which caused the thatched roof to catch fire. The theater was an important cultural center of the Elizabethan era.
1644 — At Cropred, during the English Civil War, the Royalist army under the command of King Charles I defeated the Parliamentary forces. The Battle of Cropredy Bridge was the last successful monarchist offensive before their final downfall.
1659 — Near Konotop, a remarkable victory of the army of Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky over the army of the Muscovite kingdom led by Prince Trubetsky took place. The battle proved the power of the Cossack army and was one of the most successful anti-Moscow campaigns of the 17th century.
1925 — American chemist Marvin Pipkin patented the world’s first electric light bulb with frosted glass. Her invention made it possible to avoid blinding light and made lighting more comfortable for the eyes, opening a new stage in the development of household electrical equipment.
1945 — Transcarpathia officially became part of the Ukrainian SSR, ending the period of its stay under the Czechoslovak administration. This step was a consequence of the post-war agreements between the USSR and Czechoslovakia and changed the geopolitical map of the region.
1949 — In the Republic of South Africa, a law came into force prohibiting marriages between representatives of different races. This act laid the foundation for the apartheid policy that lasted for decades and officially discriminated against the non-white population of the country.
1958 — In the final of the FIFA World Cup in Sweden, the Brazilian national team defeated the hosts of the tournament with a score of 5:2. It was the first victory of Brazil at the world championship, and it was at this world tournament that the phenomenon of 17-year-old Pele was revealed.
1972 — The Supreme Court of the United States in the case “Ferman v. State of Georgia” recognized that the use of the death penalty violates the Constitution. This decision effectively resulted in a temporary moratorium on the execution of death sentences in all states.
2007 — Official sales of the first generation iPhone have started in the USA. The device from Apple became a breakthrough in the field of mobile technology, combining a phone, an Internet browser and a multimedia player in a single touch body, and launched the era of smartphones.
