March 24 marks World Tuberculosis Day and All-Ukrainian Tuberculosis Day, as well as International Day of Achievements, International Day of the Right to Establish the Truth About Gross Violations of Human Rights and Victims’ Dignity, and International Day of Combating Depression. On this day, significant historical events took place that left a mark in world and Ukrainian history.
World Tuberculosis Day and All-Ukrainian Day of Tuberculosis
This day draws attention every year to one of the most dangerous infectious diseases, which still poses a serious threat to millions of people around the world. For the first time, World Tuberculosis Day was introduced in 1993 at the initiative of the World Health Organization. The date was not chosen by chance – on March 24, 1882, the outstanding German microbiologist Robert Koch announced his discovery of the causative agent of tuberculosis – Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It was this discovery that became a turning point in the fight against the disease, which until then had claimed the lives of millions of people around the world and was known as “tuberculosis”.
Tuberculosis affects the lungs, but it can also affect other organs and systems of the body. This disease remains one of the leading infectious killers in the world, second only to HIV/AIDS. Tuberculosis kills about 1.5 million people every year. At the same time, this disease is treatable, and timely diagnosis together with correctly selected therapy give high chances of recovery.
In Ukraine, the fight against tuberculosis is of particular importance, because the country is on the list of countries with an extremely high prevalence of this disease. The All-Ukrainian Anti-tuberculosis Day calls on society to pay attention to the need for prevention, timely examination and compliance with the treatment regimen to prevent the spread of the disease and the development of drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis.
Today, tuberculosis is not a sentence. Vaccination programs, access to modern methods of diagnosis and treatment give a chance to overcome the disease. But this requires everyone’s attention — regular fluoroscopy, care for one’s own health, and support for people undergoing treatment.
Interesting facts
In the 19th century, tuberculosis was called the “white plague” or the “royal disease” because of its widespread spread among all strata of the population, including representatives of the upper world.
In 1905, Robert Koch received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of the causative agent of tuberculosis.
Every year, about 10 million people in the world get tuberculosis, and a third of them do not know about their diagnosis.
The BCG vaccine (Bacilla Calmette-Guérin), which today is administered to children in the first days of life, was created back in 1921 and still remains one of the main means of preventing severe forms of tuberculosis.
One of the greatest threats of modern times is the appearance of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, a form of the disease that is resistant to the most effective drugs. Treatment of such cases lasts for years and requires the use of expensive drugs.
According to WHO estimates, about 25% of the world’s population is infected with the tubercle bacillus, but they have a latent form of the disease and do not even suspect it.
One of the symbols of the fight against tuberculosis has become a white chamomile flower – a symbol of purity and health, as well as support for tuberculosis patients.
International Achievement Day
This holiday is designed to honor people who have achieved success in various spheres of life – science, culture, sports, art, business or social activities. His idea is to inspire others with examples of determination, hard work and overcoming difficulties on the way to the goal. The Day of Achievements reminds us of the importance of the human desire for development and self-realization.
Despite the fact that March 24 is considered the official date, the holiday does not have a single organizer or status approved by the UN. It arose as an initiative of public organizations and various communities in social networks, who decided to dedicate a separate day to publicly honor the achievements of famous personalities and ordinary people whose stories deserve attention. On this day, it is customary to share personal achievements, tell the success stories of others, and remember outstanding figures of the past and present.
The peculiarity of this day is that achievement means not only loud world victories, but also small personal successes that can change a person’s life or his surroundings. It can be the completion of an important project, overcoming fear or a difficult life situation, achieving in sports or studies, creating something useful for society.
Interesting facts
The word “achievement” is of Latin origin – ad capere, which means “to grasp”, “to acquire”. It has always been associated with the idea of moving forward and overcoming obstacles.
According to psychologists’ research, even small achievements cause the release of dopamine in the human body – the so-called “reward hormone”, which stimulates us to new achievements.
The discovery of electricity, the creation of the Internet, spaceflight, and the invention of vaccines often appear on lists of humanity’s most influential achievements—things that changed the course of history forever.
According to statistics, the most motivating for people are the success stories of those who overcame great difficulties or started “from scratch”. It is these examples that most often become viral on social networks on Achievement Day.
The joint project to create the Large Hadron Collider, in which more than 10,000 scientists from 100 countries of the world participated, is often called the largest international achievement of mankind.
In 2024, for the International Day of Achievement in the United States, a study was conducted that showed that 72% of people consider their greatest achievement not professional success, but personal moments – starting a family, overcoming an illness or helping others.
International Day of the Right to Establish the Truth About Gross Violations of Human Rights and Victims’ Dignity.
This day was declared by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 21, 2010 in Resolution No. 65/196. Its purpose is to honor the memory of the victims of the most serious crimes against humanity, to remind everyone of the right to truth and justice, and to recognize the activities of those who, risking their own lives, protect human rights.
It was on this day in 1980 that the Archbishop of San Salvador, Oscar Arnulfo Romero, was assassinated. He became a symbol of the struggle for human rights in Latin America and the world in general. Archbishop Romero spoke openly against the repression, torture and killings carried out by the military regime in El Salvador and called for an end to violence against civilians. He was shot dead during a church service when he called on the army to stop killing his own people.
International Truth Day is a reminder of the duty of states to investigate gross violations of human rights, restore justice and guarantee society’s right to know the truth about past crimes. This is especially important for countries that have experienced or are experiencing armed conflicts, political repression or mass persecution. The right to the truth means the right of every person and society to know the circumstances, causes and perpetrators of crimes against humanity. This is the basis of memory, justice and a guarantee that similar crimes will not be repeated in the future.
Interesting facts
Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, in whose honor the date of March 24 was chosen, was canonized by the Vatican in 2018 as a holy martyr of the Catholic Church – “martyr for faith and justice”. He became a symbol of all Latin America in the fight against dictatorships.
In 2010, the UN Commission on Human Rights officially recognized the right to the truth as a separate human right that does not have a statute of limitations. This means that even decades after crimes against humanity, society has every right to know the truth about them.
The idea of the right to the truth was born after the Second World War and the Nuremberg trials, when the world first spoke out loud about the need to publicly establish the truth about mass crimes, so that similar ones do not happen again.
In many countries of Latin America, after the fall of dictatorships, the so-called Truth Commissions worked – special bodies that investigated war crimes, torture and political murders. One of the most famous is the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa, created after the abolition of apartheid.
The concept of “right to the truth” has become so important in international law that today it is directly enshrined in the decisions of the International Criminal Court and the European Court of Human Rights.
There are still countries in the world where, even 30-40 years after military dictatorships and genocides, documents that would allow society to learn the truth about mass murders and repressions have not been declassified. Argentina, Chile, Guatemala are still fighting for access to the truth today.
The right to the truth includes not only knowing the names of the executioners or the details of the crime, but also the search for the missing. There are more than 100,000 cases of enforced disappearances worldwide, where families still cannot bury their loved ones or at least find out what happened to them.
Right now, the right to the truth is especially relevant for Ukraine, given the investigation of war crimes, mass murders and deportations of civilians committed during full-scale Russian aggression.
International Depression Day
This day is designed to draw society’s attention to one of the most widespread and at the same time least noticeable mental problems of our time – depression. The purpose of this day is to overcome stereotypes related to mental health, to spread knowledge about the symptoms and consequences of depression, as well as to remind that this disease needs professional treatment and support.
Depression is not just a bad mood or temporary apathy, but a serious mental disorder that significantly affects a person’s daily life, work capacity, relationships, and even physical health. According to the World Health Organization, more than 300 million people worldwide live with depression, and this number is increasing every year.
In fact, depression is one of the leading causes of disability in the world. It can lead to loss of working capacity, serious chronic diseases and even suicide. Every year, about 800,000 people in the world die by suicide, and in most cases, untreated or advanced depression is the cause.
Interesting facts
The World Health Organization calls depression the “silent epidemic of the 21st century” because of its prevalence and enormous economic and social losses.
According to WHO research, every sixth inhabitant of the planet faces clinical depression at least once in their life.
Physical pain and depression are closely related: more than 60% of people with chronic pain have symptoms of depression, and depressive disorders often cause physical pain for no apparent reason.
Women are diagnosed with depression twice as often as men. However, men are less likely to seek help and more likely to commit suicide.
It has been scientifically proven that physical activity, in particular regular jogging, swimming or even regular walking, reduces the risk of developing depression by almost 30%.
In 2019, depression was officially recognized as the most expensive mental disorder for the world economy: the combined costs of disability and treatment are over $1 trillion annually.
There is such a concept as masked depression – when a person suffers from depression, but hides it even from himself, continuing to “live like everyone else” until he faces serious consequences.
The development of depression is closely related to the biochemistry of the brain — in particular, to a deficiency of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which are responsible for feelings of joy, satisfaction, and energy.
In Ukraine, mental health is still a taboo topic, but the number of referrals to specialists is increasing, especially after the start of a full-scale war, against the background of post-traumatic stress and long-term chronic stress.
The yellow ribbon or the color yellow is often used as a symbol of the fight against depression in the world – as a sign of hope, light and support.
Historical events on this day
1155 – Kyiv was captured by Yuriy Dolgoruky. After the capture of the city, he ascended the throne of Kyiv, starting another stage of the internecine struggle for power over Kyivan Rus. This event became one of the key moments in the political history of Eastern Europe of the 12th century.
1603 – after the death of the English Queen Elizabeth I, a union was concluded that united the English and Scottish thrones. The new king of both kingdoms became James VI Stewart of Scotland, who received the title of James I of England. This marked the beginning of the unification of the two kingdoms into one state.
1654 – the March Articles were concluded between Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytskyi and Tsar Oleksii Mikhailovich of Moscow. This agreement defined the terms of the military-political union and became a turning point in the relations of the Zaporizhzhya Army with Muscovy.
1882 – the German scientist Robert Koch made one of the most significant discoveries in medicine – he discovered the causative agent of tuberculosis, the so-called Koch bacillus. It became a revolution in the diagnosis and treatment of a deadly disease.
1898 – the first Winton car was sold in the USA. The car cost the buyer one thousand dollars – at that time, a huge amount, which symbolized the beginning of the automobile era.
1918 – The Central Rada made an important state decision — Ukrainian became the state language in the banking and trade spheres. This decision cemented the status of the Ukrainian language as an official language and opened a new page in its development.
1933 – The Reichstag passed a law that effectively abolished civil liberties in Germany and granted extraordinary powers to Adolf Hitler. The law allowed the government to pass laws without the approval of parliament, ultimately concentrating all power in the hands of the Nazis.
1940 – elections to the supreme bodies of state power of the Soviet Union and Soviet Ukraine were held in the western Ukrainian lands. This event became a tool for legitimizing Soviet power in the newly annexed territories.
1956 – Russian historian and ethnographer Lev Gumilyov was rehabilitated after many years of imprisonment. He was accused of counter-revolutionary activities, but was later acquitted, admitting that the accusations were groundless.
1975 – the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali defended the title of world champion by technical knockout in a match against Chuck Wepner in Cleveland. The fight went down in history as one of the highlights of Ali’s career.
1976 – a coup d’état took place in Argentina: the military junta removed President Isabel Peron from power. This event marked the beginning of a period of severe political repression and a “dirty war” during which thousands of Argentines went missing.
1980 – Archbishop Oscar Romero, who became a symbol of the struggle for human rights in Latin America, was killed in El Salvador. His death at the hands of right-wing militants unleashed a spiral of violence that turned into a civil war.
1989 – an environmental disaster occurred off the coast of Alaska, when the Exxon Valdez tanker ran aground, spilling 40,000 tons of oil into the sea. This led to one of the largest man-made disasters in US history.
1989 – the first political strike in Ukraine took place in Lviv, which became an important milestone on the way to independence. The participants advocated democratic changes and the national rights of the Ukrainian people.
1989 – the first regional organization of the People’s Movement of Ukraine was created in Ternopil, which became the driving force of national liberation struggles and the struggle for the country’s independence.
1990 – Islam Karimov was elected president of Uzbekistan. He remained in power until his death in 2016, becoming one of the most influential figures in the Central Asian region.
1999 – NATO troops launched airstrikes on the territory of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia after the start of the war against this country. This was the beginning of a large-scale military campaign in Europe at the end of the 20th century.
1999 – a tragic fire in the tunnel under Mont Blanc took the lives of 39 people. The disaster became one of the worst transport tragedies of that time in Europe.
1999 – a train accident occurred in Kenya’s Tsavo National Park: a passenger train derailed, killing 36 people and injuring 200 more.
2001 – Ukrainian boxer Volodymyr Klitschko defeated the American Derrick Jefferson by technical knockout in a fight in Munich. This victory was an important stage on the way to the title of world champion and world recognition.
