World Theater Day and International Whiskey Day are celebrated on March 27. Also, this day is marked in history by many events that changed the course of wars, geopolitics, technical progress and spiritual life.
World Theater Day
This holiday unites actors, directors, playwrights, scenographers and everyone related to theater art. It is not just a professional holiday, but a day when the special power of the theater is reminded — to change society, to speak to people in the language of emotions and images, to preserve culture and to call to action.
The holiday was founded in 1961 on the initiative of the International Theater Institute (ITI) under UNESCO. Since then, every year on this day, the traditional International Message of Peace, written by one of the famous theater actors, is heard – it calls for a rethinking of the role of the theater in the modern world. In different years, the authors of the message were Jean Cocteau, Arthur Miller, Peter Brook, Vaclav Havel, John Malkovich, as well as artists from China, Africa, the Arab world, and Latin America.
Today, the theater is experiencing new challenges: competition with visual media, a crisis of audience attention, financial instability. But it is the live contact, the unpredictability of the scene, the energy of the acting that makes the theater unique and irreplaceable. Theater is not just a performance. This is the moment of truth between the stage and the audience.
Interesting facts
In ancient Greece, actors wore wooden shoes on a platform – koturni – and the higher the shoes, the higher the social status of the character. That is, the status in the theater was determined by the sole.
The first theatrical performances in medieval Europe took place… in churches. And even with the use of Latin. It all started with reenactments of biblical scenes for uninformed lay people.
The oldest operating theater in the world, the Teatro Olimpico in Italy, was opened in 1585.
During the reign of Elizabeth I in England, theaters were periodically banned because of fears that large crowds of people contributed to the spread of the plague. But Shakespeare still wrote – his works were read and circulated.
The shortest piece ever performed on stage is called Breath and lasts only 30 seconds. Its author is Samuel Beckett.
There is still a theater in the world where the audience sits in a bathtub. This is a Japanese “theater of sensations”, where each audience perceives the performance blindly, in complete darkness, and the actors interact through sounds, smells, touches and even changes in temperature.
In Kyiv’s Theater on Podol, which became the subject of a scandal due to its design, it was originally planned to make a roof of mirrors to “reflect the sky” – an architectural metaphor for the theater as an eternal reflection of life. The idea was rejected due to cost and practicality.
After the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine, Ukrainian theaters became not only centers of culture, but also places for collecting humanitarian aid, holding charity performances and providing psychological support.
International Whiskey Day
This is an unofficial but popular holiday for connoisseurs of one of the most famous spirits in the world. This day is not only an occasion to raise a glass to health, but also an opportunity to talk about the history, culture and craftsmanship behind the creation of whiskey.
The idea of founding the holiday arose in 2008 during a book festival in the Netherlands. The initiators were friends and colleagues of the famous British journalist and author of numerous books about whiskey – Michael Jackson (not to be confused with the singer). It was March 27 that was chosen as the date of the holiday, because on this day Michael Jackson was born, who made a great contribution to the popularization of whiskey culture around the world.
One of the main ideas of the holiday was not only to honor the drink itself, but also to support people suffering from Parkinson’s disease – it was Jackson who suffered from it. Therefore, International Whiskey Day also has a charitable component: part of the profits from thematic events and whiskey sales are often directed to research and treatment of this disease.
The celebration takes place in bars, clubs, distilleries and even at home. Connoisseurs share their favorite tastes, hold tastings, master classes, and discuss varieties of Scotch, Irish, American, and Japanese whiskey. Despite the fact that this holiday is not official, it has gained wide popularity in many countries of the world.
Interesting facts
The word “whiskey” comes from the Gaelic “uisge beatha”, which means “water of life”.
The spelling “whisky” without the “e” is usually used for Scotch, Canadian and Japanese whiskey, and “whiskey” for Irish and American whiskey.
Whiskey is aged in oak barrels, sometimes with sherry, bourbon or wine, which gives the drink a unique taste.
The most expensive bottle of whiskey sold at auction for more than $2.7 million is the Macallan 1926.
In Scotland, the production of whiskey is regulated by law: the drink must be aged for at least three years. In this country there is a church converted into a distillery – Glenesk. Prayers there have long been changed to distillation. Literally: the “holy spirit” now has a different flavor.
In the 1920s, during the dry prohibition era in the US, whiskey was officially sold… as medicine. In the pharmacy, you could buy a bottle with a prescription – against nerves, cough and even depression. Some pharmacies have become million-dollar businesses on this.
Japan today is considered one of the best whiskey-producing countries in the world. Japan’s first master whisky, Masataka Taketsuru, studied in Scotland, married a Scotswoman, brought recipes and culture, and founded Japan’s whiskey industry almost from scratch.
The oldest licensed distillery in the world, Old Bushmills in Northern Ireland, has been around since 1608. It has been operating on the same water from the same river for over 400 years.
A bottle of whiskey has visited space: in 2011, samples of Ardbeg whiskey were sent to the ISS to study how microgravity affects the aging process of the drink.
In Britain, there is a tradition: when a ship is first launched, it is sprinkled with whiskey, not champagne. This is what the Scottish Navy does — for patriotic reasons.
Whiskey is not just about alcohol. It is a culture, tradition, history and craft that is passed down from generation to generation.
Historical events on this day
1111 – within the framework of the great campaign of the Russian princes against the Polovtsy, the Battle of Salnytsia took place. The united army led by Svyatopolk Izyaslavych and Volodymyr Monomakh defeated the steppe people. This victory was the culmination of one of Russia’s most successful campaigns against the nomads.
1664 – Polish troops executed the Ukrainian Hetman Ivan Vyhovskyi. The former ally of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which signed the Hadiatz Agreement with it, became a victim of a change in political course and internal intrigues.
1668 – King Charles II of England leased the island of Bombay to the British East India Company. For a nominal fee of £10 a year, this area later became one of the key strategic points of British colonialism in India.
1794 – The US Congress approved the creation of a permanent military fleet. This decision marked the beginning of the modern US Navy as a separate and professional structure that plays a global role even today.
1854 – England and France officially declared war on the Russian Empire, joining the Ottoman Empire. Thus began the Crimean conflict, one of the first modern wars with wide coverage in the press, the use of the telegraph and railways.
1860 – in the USA, Michael Byrne received a patent for the invention of the corkscrew. A simple but ingenious tool opened a new era in the field of wine culture.
1898 – The Russian Empire signed an agreement with China on the lease of Port Arthur and Dalian. This established the Russian presence in Manchuria and became one of the factors that led to the Russo-Japanese War.
1914 – aircraft designer Ihor Sikorsky set a world speed record with four passengers on his S-6A plane – 106 km/h. This achievement demonstrated the potential of heavy aviation and strengthened Sikorsky’s reputation as an innovator.
1964 – a Great earthquake with a magnitude of 9.2 occurred in Alaska. It was the most powerful earthquake in North America and the second strongest in history. It changed the landscape, claimed more than a hundred lives and led to a tsunami.
1977 – 583 people died as a result of the collision of two Boeing 747s at Tenerife airport. This is the most tragic plane crash in the history of civil aviation, which caused profound changes in aviation safety standards.
1998 – The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially approved the use of Viagra by Pfizer. The drug became a breakthrough in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and changed society’s attitude to this problem.
1999 – a powerful player appeared on the global automobile market — the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi alliance. This strategic association has become one of the largest manufacturers of cars in the world.
2011 – the enthronement of the new Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Svyatoslav Shevchuk, took place in Kyiv. His election became a symbol of young energy and renewal of the UGCC in a difficult time for Ukraine.
2014 – The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on supporting the territorial integrity of Ukraine, without officially recognizing the annexation of Crimea by Russia. 100 countries supported the document, another 58 abstained, and 11 voted against. It was an important international signal of support for Ukraine.
2020 – North Macedonia became the 30th full member of NATO. The move ended the country’s long journey to the Alliance and strengthened the bloc’s position in the Balkans.
Oleksandr Zasyadko is the creator of the first combat missiles
On May 27, 1837, in Kharkiv, at the age of 57, the designer and expert in the field of rockets, Lieutenant General Oleksandr Dmytrovych Zasyadko, the creator of the first combat missiles, died. He was born in 1779 (the exact date is unknown) in the village of Lutenka on the banks of the Psel River (Hadyatsky District, Poltava Province). He came from a noble family, his father worked as a county treasurer in Perekop and was entered in the second part of the genealogical book of nobles of the Poltava province. At the same time, the Zasyadki family itself had Cossack roots and was closely related to Zaporizhzhya Sich.
Some sources state that among Zasyadek’s closest relatives were Harmash — specially trained Ukrainian Cossack artillerymen who were responsible for cannon maintenance. Young Oleksandr began training at the age of eight in the Artillery Szlachetsky Engineering Cadet Corps, after which he was sent to serve in the Kherson province as part of the 10th infantry battalion. As part of this unit, he participated in the Italian campaign of the army under the command of Suvorov. He received two orders for courage during the campaign.
Subsequently, there were the Turkish War and the Patriotic War of 1812, during which Zasyadko took part in the Battle of Borodino, being in the very center of the battle – at the Raevsky battery. For his bravery, he was awarded numerous orders, a golden sword with the inscription “For bravery”, and was also wounded in the left leg. He also fought in the Battle of Leipzig, known as the “Battle of Nations.” It was there that the British successfully used powder rockets against Napoleon’s troops for the first time, which made a strong impression on the artillery officer.
On his own initiative, Oleksandr Zasyadko began the development of combat powder rockets. Lacking funding, he sold his estate near Odessa to finance the experiments. This act impressed Emperor Alexander I, who after that personally supported Zasyadek and ordered to finance his development and field tests. By 1818, the inventor created a combat rocket of an original design, developed a launcher for volley fire, guidance devices and wrote instructions for the combat use of rocket weapons. His rockets surpassed the British in terms of flight range – up to 6,000 meters, while the British reached only 2,700.
The first combat use of new weapons took place on August 31, 1828, during the siege of the Turkish fortress of Varna during the Russian-Turkish war. The shelling of the redoubts with rockets, as well as the fire of field and ship artillery forced the Turkish defenders to hide in the trenches. When the Russian troops went on the offensive, the enemy did not have time to organize a defense, and the redoubt was taken in a matter of minutes with heavy losses for the Turks.
Subsequently, Zasyadko developed several more types of combat rockets: 2-, 2.5- and 4-inch high-explosive and incendiary rockets weighing from 5.8 to 16.2 kg with a firing range of 1.6–2.7 km. He also created single-shot and six-barreled launchers for these ammunition.
After retiring for health reasons in the rank of lieutenant general, Zasyadko settled in Kharkiv. His wife’s estate was located 80 versts from the city. Oleksandr Zasyadko died on May 27, 1837 in Kharkiv. According to his will, he was buried in the Kuryaz Monastery near the city. In 1979, a book by Yu. Nikitin “Sword of Oleksandr Zasyadek”.
Michael Byrne patented the corkscrew
On March 27, 1860, a resident of New York, Michael Byrne, patented a corkscrew. The patent description described the tool as “a steel screw used to remove corks from bottles.” Despite the fact that we associate the modern corkscrew exclusively with wine, its prototype was first used by the military. Bullets stuck in musket barrels were pulled out with a similar device. During Napoleon’s time, the corkscrew was even officially included in the French soldier’s ammunition as a mandatory element.
The invention became a wine accessory for the first time in England, the first country to widely use glass bottles sealed with corks. There was a need for a convenient way to open them. The first truly improved design was invented by Oxford scientist Samuel Henshall. His bottle key had a metal rod with a wooden handle between which was a disc insert. This part prevented the screw from going too deep into the plug and at the same time made the plug rotate at maximum depth. Gensholl himself wrote about his invention: “This is a new method of using a screw, when everyone sees it, everyone will think: why didn’t he think of this himself.”
In 1882, the German engineer Carl F.A. Wienke patented another classic model – the so-called “waiter’s friend”, also known as the “wine key” or “sommelier’s knife” (narzannik). It is a thin, complex tool, similar to a Swiss Army knife, that combines a screw, a lever and a blade. The handle of the corkscrew rests on the neck of the bottle, and the lever system makes it easy to pull out the cork.
Another common option is a corkscrew with two levers, a central rack and a gear, often called a “butterfly” or “ballerina”. The first patent for it was received by the British inventor H.S. Heely in 1888, and an improved version was patented in 1930 by the Italian designer Domenico Rossati. When the corkscrew is screwed in, a pair of levers rise up – you should press them, and the cork easily rises from the bottle.
There is also an unusual and not quite classic “gypsy corkscrew”. It does not have a screw, instead it has two thin blades, one slightly longer than the other. It is used to open old bottles with fragile corks. The blades are carefully inserted between the cork and the glass, slightly loosened and the cork is removed without damage. In ancient times, servants used this corkscrew to secretly taste the household wine, after which they added something cheaper and returned the cork to its place. This tool left no traces, and that is why it got its nickname.
Neutral Switzerland became the first country to start producing officers’ knives equipped with a corkscrew as one of the auxiliary tools. In France, lever corkscrews are humorously called “Charles de Gaulle” – because of the similarity with the characteristic gesture of the politician, when he greeted the crowd by raising both hands.
In aviation, the term “corkscrew” also has its own meaning. In 1916, the grandson of the artist Aivazovsky, the pilot Konstantin Artseulov, was the first in the world to manage to take an airplane out of a controlled corkscrew, a figure of aerobatics that was previously considered deadly. It became a significant event in the history of aviation.
Referendum in Ukraine
On March 27, 1994, in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, at the same time as the parliamentary elections in Ukraine, a regional referendum was held, formally called a “poll of public opinion.” Despite the name, this measure had political weight — primarily as an instrument of pressure on the central government by local elites.
This was not the first such case in the history of Ukraine. Back on March 17, 1991, simultaneously with the all-Union referendum on the preservation of the USSR, the Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Ternopil regions held their own referendum. People were then asked: “Do you want Ukraine to become an independent state that independently resolves all issues of domestic and foreign policy, ensures equal rights of citizens regardless of national or religious affiliation?”. And on December 1, 1991, a referendum was held in Zakarpattia Oblast on granting the region the status of autonomy within Ukraine.
Against the background of these examples, the Donbas referendum of 1994 did not look too innovative. To the typical for that time list of political and territorial demands were added questions about federalization and granting the Russian language official status. Given the context and regional sentiments, the results were predictable — a large part of the respondents supported the initiatives.
Shortly thereafter, presidential elections were held in Ukraine, in which several candidates directly promised to take into account the issues raised during the referendum. These promises became part of the political game around regional separatism, the status of the language and the organization of the state — topics that still remain at the center of Ukrainian political discourse.
Creation of the special unit “Sokil”
On March 27, 1994, a special unit “Sokil” was created in Ukraine – a force formation under the Department for Combating Organized Crime (UBOZ) of the regional departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The main task of the unit was to provide security for operative and investigative activities carried out by UBOZ employees.
The “Sokil” unit was involved in conducting special operations to eliminate gangs, detain leaders of organized criminal groups, neutralize members of armed criminal groups, and release hostages. In addition, the unit’s fighters participated in anti-terrorist operations, as well as provided physical protection of sources of operational information.
The creation of Sokol was a response to the challenges of the 1990s, when the activities of organized criminal groups intensified in Ukraine, and law enforcement agencies needed a specialized force wing to perform the most dangerous tasks.
