March 12 is celebrated as World Day Against Cyber Censorship, International School Feeding Day, World Glaucoma Day, and Aztec New Year. This day has left a noticeable mark on world history in different years due to events that influenced the development of states, science, religion, and social movements in different eras.
World Day Against Cyber Censorship
This day was initiated in 2008 by the international human rights organization Amnesty International together with the organization Reporters Without Borders. The date is dedicated to the problem of restricting freedom of speech on the Internet, blocking websites, pressure on online media, as well as the persecution of journalists, bloggers and netizens for disseminating information or their own views.
The Internet has become one of the main sources of information in the world, so control over it is often used by states as a tool to influence society. In different countries, blocking social networks, filtering search results, deleting publications and disconnecting the network during political crises or protests are used. Human rights organizations investigate these practices, record cases of persecution for online activities and publish data on the level of Internet freedom in the world.
Interesting facts
China operates one of the most complex Internet control systems in the world, often called the Great Firewall of China. It combines website blocking, keyword filtering, automatic deletion of posts, and constant monitoring of social networks. Many popular international services are unavailable there, so their own analogues have been created that operate under state supervision.
In North Korea, most citizens do not have access to the global Internet. An internal computer network called “Kwangmyeon” has been created for the population, which hosts only local sites with educational materials, news, and information prepared by state institutions. Connection to the international network is available only to a limited number of state structures.
In 2011, during mass protests in Egypt, the authorities almost completely disconnected the country from the Internet for several days. Providers stopped transmitting international traffic, which led to a sharp drop in Internet activity to almost zero. This case became one of the most famous examples of a large-scale state shutdown of the network.
In Ukraine, access to the Russian social networks VKontakte and Odnoklassniki, as well as a number of Russian online services, was blocked in 2017. The restrictions were introduced as part of a sanctions policy due to the use of these platforms to spread propaganda and collect user data.
After the start of a full-scale war in 2022, Russia significantly tightened control over the Internet. The country has restricted access to many international social networks and independent media, and criminal cases may be opened for spreading information about the war that differs from the official position of the authorities.
In Iran, during periods of protests, the authorities often limit the speed of the Internet or block popular messengers. Users actively use VPN services to bypass the blocks, which is why the government regularly tries to limit the work of such tools.
In Turkey, for various years, the authorities have temporarily blocked access to major international platforms after the publication of materials that were considered a threat to national security. Sometimes court decisions on restrictions have affected thousands of individual pages or videos at once.
During wars and political conflicts in different countries, the Internet is sometimes turned off in entire regions. Such shutdowns can last from several hours to several days and are used to control the information space and limit the coordination of protest movements.
International School Meals Day
This day was initiated by the international organization School Meals Coalition to draw attention to the role of school meals in children’s health and their education. In many countries around the world, school cafeterias provide millions of students with daily meals, which helps maintain normal physical development and concentration during classes.
School meal systems vary depending on the country, but the common goal remains to provide children with nutritious and safe food. School lunch programs are often combined with educational initiatives on healthy lifestyles, food culture and rational use of products. In some countries, such programs also help support local farmers, as schools purchase products from regional producers.
Interesting facts
In Finland, all schoolchildren have received a free hot lunch since 1948. This is one of the world’s first national school meal systems, where menus are created by nutritionists, and students are taught to independently choose a balanced combination of dishes from salad, side dish, main course, and drink.
In Japan, school meals are considered part of the educational process. Students themselves carry food to classes, set tables, and clean up the dishes after lunch. This system is used to form responsibility, teamwork, and a culture of shared meals.
A large-scale school meal reform began in Ukraine in 2020–2021. The menu was updated, the amount of salt and sugar was reduced, and the share of vegetables and healthy foods was increased. Many schools have introduced new recipes for dishes that were not previously used in school cafeterias.
Brazil has one of the largest school meal programs in the world. By law, at least 30 percent of the food for school cafeterias must be purchased from local farmers. This supports local agriculture and ensures the freshness of the food.
In South Korea, school cafeterias often serve traditional dishes, including soups, rice, vegetable side dishes, and kimchi. The menu changes regularly to provide children with a variety of foods and to introduce them to the national cuisine.
In France, school lunches can consist of several full courses: an appetizer, a main course, a side dish, cheese, and a dessert. At the same time, great attention is paid to the quality of the products, and some schools include organic ingredients in the menu.
In the USA, the school lunch program has existed since 1946. It was created after World War II, when the government drew attention to the problems of children’s nutrition and physical fitness of young people.
In many countries around the world, school meals have become an important social tool. For some children, school lunch is the most nutritious meal of the day, so such programs are of great importance for the health and development of students.
World Glaucoma Day
This day was launched in 2008 at the initiative of the World Glaucoma Association and the World Glaucoma Societies. It is designed to draw attention to one of the most common eye diseases, which can lead to gradual loss of vision. Glaucoma is associated with damage to the optic nerve and often develops imperceptibly, without pronounced symptoms in the early stages.
The disease can occur in people of all ages, but more often occurs after 40 years. Timely diagnosis is of great importance, since damage to the optic nerve is usually irreversible. Regular eye exams can help detect problems early and reduce the risk of vision loss with medication or surgery.
Interesting Facts
The name “glaucoma” comes from an ancient Greek word meaning “blue-green.” In ancient times, doctors associated a change in the color of the pupil with this disease, although the true causes of glaucoma were understood much later.
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness in the world. According to estimates by international medical organizations, tens of millions of people have various forms of this disease, and a significant part of them are not even aware of the problem in the early stages.
A feature of glaucoma is the gradual loss of peripheral vision. A person may not notice changes for a long time, because central vision is preserved, and the narrowing of the visual field occurs slowly.
In Ukraine, glaucoma is detected in hundreds of thousands of people. Doctors note that a significant part of cases is diagnosed during preventive examinations, when patients consult an ophthalmologist with other complaints.
There are several main types of glaucoma, including open-angle and angle-closure. Open-angle glaucoma develops slowly and is the most common, while angle-closure glaucoma can cause a sharp increase in intraocular pressure and severe pain.
One of the main risk factors for developing glaucoma is increased intraocular pressure. However, sometimes the disease occurs even with normal indicators, which complicates early diagnosis.
Modern methods of treating glaucoma include eye drops, laser procedures, and surgery. The main goal of treatment is to reduce intraocular pressure and slow down damage to the optic nerve.
In some cases, glaucoma is hereditary. If close relatives have had the disease, the risk of developing it increases significantly, so doctors recommend regular preventive examinations.
Aztec New Year
The Aztec New Year is celebrated annually on March 12 at dawn according to the traditional Aztec calendar. This day is associated with the beginning of a new cycle in the calendar system of the Aztec civilization, which existed in the territory of modern Mexico before the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century. In the Aztec calendar, the year consisted of 365 days and was divided into 18 months of 20 days, and at the end, five separate days were added, which were considered special.
The beginning of the year symbolized the renewal of the natural cycle, the change of seasons and the restoration of harmony between man and the world. For the Aztecs, the calendar had not only practical significance for agriculture, but also a deep religious meaning, since many events in the life of society were consistent with ritual and astronomical cycles.
Interesting facts
The Aztecs used two calendars at once. One consisted of 365 days and was used for everyday life and agriculture, and the second had 260 days and was used for religious ceremonies, predictions and determining auspicious days.
The capital of the Aztec state was the city of Tenochtitlan, which stood on islands in the great Lake Texcoco. Today, the capital of Mexico, Mexico City, is located on the site of this city.
The last five days of the year in the Aztec calendar were considered dangerous and unlucky. During this period, people tried not to start new things, avoided long trips and spent more time at home.
The Aztec calendar was closely linked to the movement of the Sun, so many holidays and rituals were timed to astronomical events, in particular the equinoxes and solstices.
In modern Mexico, some indigenous communities continue to symbolically celebrate the Aztec New Year. The celebration usually begins at dawn, when people meet the first rays of the sun as a sign of the beginning of a new cycle.
The Aztecs paid great attention to observing the sky. Their priest-astronomers used this knowledge to determine the dates of rituals, predict the rainy seasons, and plan agricultural work.
After the conquest of the Aztec Empire by the Spanish in 1521, many traditions and calendar systems were banned or lost. However, some knowledge has survived in the chronicles, archaeological finds, and oral traditions of the indigenous peoples of Mexico.
The famous Sun Stone, often called the Aztec calendar, weighs over 20 tons. This large stone disk is decorated with intricate symbols that reflect the Aztecs’ understanding of space, time, and the cyclical nature of the world.
Historical events on this day
1169 — The Ruin of Kyiv — a coalition of eleven Rus’ princes led by the troops of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky of Vladimir-Suzdal captured and plundered Kyiv. The city suffered significant destruction, churches, monasteries, and residents’ homes were looted. This event became a symbol of the decline of the political role of Kyiv as the main center of Rus’ and the change in the balance of power between the principalities.
1229 — End of the Sixth Crusade. A peace agreement was concluded between the Sultan of Egypt al-Kamil and the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II Hohenstaufen, according to which Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem passed under the control of the Crusaders without large-scale hostilities. The agreement provided for a period of peaceful coexistence between the parties.
1241 — Mongol troops led by commander Subedei broke through the defenses of the fortified Veretsky Pass in the Carpathians. The capture of this strategic pass opened the way for the Mongols to Central Europe and became part of a major military campaign in the territory of modern Ukraine, Hungary, and Poland.
1365 — Duke Rudolf IV founded the University of Vienna. The educational institution became one of the oldest universities in Europe and over time became an important center of education, science and cultural life in Austria.
1496 — The Jewish population was expelled from Syria as a result of decisions by the authorities of the time. Similar expulsions took place in various regions of the world and became part of the complex history of persecution and resettlement of Jewish communities in the medieval period.
1622 — The Catholic Church canonized Ignatius of Loyola and Francis Xavier, founders of the Jesuit Order. Their activities had a significant impact on the development of missionary work, education, and the spread of the Catholic tradition in various parts of the world.
1633 — King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Władysław IV confirmed Petro Mohyla as Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Rus. His activities contributed to the reform of church education, the development of Orthodox culture, and the establishment of the Kyiv-Mohyla College.
1812 — A powerful earthquake in Caracas destroyed a significant part of the city and claimed the lives of approximately twenty thousand people. The disaster was one of the most tragic natural events in the history of Venezuela.
1910 — The England football team won a convincing victory over the French team with a score of 20:0. Striker Day scored eleven goals against the opponent, which became one of the most productive performances in the history of international football.
1913 — Canberra officially became the capital of Australia. Місто було спеціально спроєктоване як новий адміністративний центр країни, щоб припинити суперництво між Сіднеєм і Мельбурном за статус столиці.
1928 — Під час пленуму ЦК КП(б)У Лазар Каганович звинуватив наркома освіти Олександра Шумського у «українському буржуазному націоналізмі». Ці звинувачення стали частиною кампанії проти діячів українського культурного та політичного руху.
1930 — Магатма Ґанді разом з прихильниками розпочав Соляний похід — масштабну акцію громадянської непокори проти британської колоніальної влади в Індії. Учасники виступили проти монополії на виробництво солі, демонструючи принцип ненасильницького опору.
1934 — Внаслідок державного перевороту в Естонській Республіці було встановлено авторитарний режим. Владу зосередив у своїх руках політичний діяч Костянтин Пятс, який призупинив дію демократичних інститутів.
1938 — Німецькі війська перетнули кордон Австрії, після чого було проголошено об’єднання двох держав, відоме як аншлюс. Ця подія стала одним із кроків до подальшого розширення впливу нацистської Німеччини в Європі.
1940 — Завершилася радянсько-фінська війна. За умовами мирної угоди Фінляндія втратила Карельський перешийок, проте Радянському Союзу не вдалося встановити повний контроль над країною або перетворити її на радянську республіку.
1947 — Президент США Гаррі Трумен представив зовнішньополітичну програму, відому як Доктрина Трумена. Вона передбачала підтримку держав, які протистояли поширенню комунізму, і стала важливим етапом формування політики холодної війни.
1965 — Студенти Київського університету імені Тараса Шевченка написали колективну заяву до керівництва навчального закладу та Міністерства освіти з вимогою поновити на роботі викладача факультету журналістики Матвія Шестопала. Його звинуватили у «буржуазному націоналізмі». Частину студентів, які відмовилися відкликати підписи, відрахували з університету, що стало помітним епізодом громадянської непокори в УРСР.
1968 — Острівна держава Маврикій здобула незалежність після тривалого перебування під британським колоніальним управлінням і розпочала формування власних державних інституцій.
1989 — Британський науковець Тім Бернерс-Лі запропонував концепцію глобального гіпертекстового проєкту, що згодом перетворився на Всесвітнє павутиння. Ця ідея стала основою сучасного інтернету.
1992 — Україна встановила дипломатичні відносини з Кубою, розширюючи мережу міжнародних контактів після проголошення незалежності.
1994 — У Бристольському соборі відбулося перше в історії рукоположення жінок у священики Церкви Англії. Тридцять дві жінки отримали духовний сан, що стало важливою зміною у церковній практиці.
1999 — Чехія, Польща та Угорщина офіційно приєдналися до НАТО. Це розширення Альянсу стало значним етапом у трансформації системи безпеки в Європі після завершення холодної війни.
2000 — Папа Римський Іван Павло II під час богослужіння у Ватикані публічно попросив вибачення за історичні помилки та злочини, пов’язані з діяльністю Католицької церкви у різні періоди.
2003 — Всесвітня організація охорони здоров’я оголосила глобальне попередження через спалах коронавірусу SARS-CoV, який спричинив поширення тяжкого гострого респіраторного синдрому в різних країнах світу.
2010 — У канадському місті Ванкувер розпочалися X Зимові Паралімпійські ігри, у яких взяли участь спортсмени з інвалідністю з десятків країн.
2020 — В Україні запровадили загальнонаціональний карантин у зв’язку з поширенням пандемії COVID-19. Обмеження торкнулися навчальних закладів, масових заходів і багатьох сфер суспільного життя.
