On May 18, Ukraine celebrates Reservists’ Day and the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Genocide of the Crimean Tatar People, and in the world – International Museum Day and World Baking Day. Also, this day was forever remembered in the history of mankind with numerous important events, achievements, tragedies and symbols of change.
Reservist’s Day in Ukraine
This is a young but symbolically important holiday that honors citizens who are ready at any moment to take up arms in defense of the state. This day is designed not only to remind about the importance of the reserve of the Armed Forces, but also to emphasize the role of conscious, prepared people who combine civilian life with military duty.
The holiday was officially launched on April 19, 2019 by the decree of the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko. His initiative was aimed at strengthening the national defense capability, raising the prestige of service in the reserve and encouraging Ukrainians to participate in territorial defense. The decree was signed during the hybrid war with Russia, when it became clear that victory in the war of the 21st century largely depends not only on the regular army, but also on a professional, motivated reserve.
As of 2025, Reservists’ Day has become especially relevant, because the full-scale war with Russia has clearly shown how critical the participation of reservists is in the defense of the state. They are the first to arrive at military commissariats in times of alarm, undergo training, participate in combat operations, become the core of territorial defense and the strategic support of the entire army.
This day honors not only military reservists, but also volunteers who, after being released from the main service, retain combat experience and are ready to return to the front again if the situation requires it. Among them are veterans of the anti-terrorist operation and anti-terrorist forces, participants in hostilities, mobilized during martial law.
Interesting facts
Ukraine has one of the largest trained reserves in Europe — after the start of a full-scale war, more than 1 million citizens were mobilized or joined the territorial defense.
In 2021, a system of territorial defense with a clear structure of reserve battalions in each region was created in Ukraine. It was the reservists who became the backbone of the resistance during the first days of the invasion in February 2022.
The practice of training sessions for reservists, which take place several times a year, is also unique. During these gatherings, ex-servicemen and civilians undergo intensive combat training, renewing their marksmanship, tactics, communications and medical aid skills.
For the first time, the mass presentation of the honorary badge “Reservist of the Year” took place precisely on May 18, 2020 — in the second year of the celebration. The award was introduced to honor those who showed high results during exercises and mobilizations.
Reservists play a special role in cyber defense, analytics and technical support of the army — the ranks of the reserve include specialists in IT, medicine, engineering, logistics, who combine a civilian career with readiness for mobilization.
The Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Genocide of the Crimean Tatar People
Every year on May 18, Ukraine commemorates the victims of the Crimean Tatar genocide. This is not just a mourning date in the calendar – it is a day that combines the pain of deportation, the dignity of resistance, national memory and the modern struggle for the rights of the Crimean Tatars. On this day, the Day of Struggle for the Rights of the Crimean Tatar People is also celebrated.
The date is symbolic and tragic: it was on May 18, 1944 that the Soviet regime began the mass deportation of Crimean Tatars from their native Crimea. Over 180,000 people were forcibly removed from the peninsula in just a few days, most of them women, children, and the elderly. They were transported in freight cars, without the right to stop, without food and water, in terrible unsanitary conditions. Thousands of people died on the way. Thousands died of hunger, disease, and repression already in exile — in Central Asia, the Urals, and Siberia. According to historians, up to half of the deportees died during the first years of exile.
The repressions were accompanied by the complete erasure of the presence of the Crimean Tatars on the map of Crimea: the language was banned, toponyms were changed, historical heritage was destroyed, and the very name “Tatar” was made synonymous with “traitor.” However, despite the ban, humiliation and persecution, the Crimean Tatars preserved their language, faith, culture and dream of returning home.
And only half a century later — during the years of perestroika and with the beginning of Ukraine’s independence — the possibility of a mass return of Crimean Tatars to Crimea appeared. They built their homes literally on the bare steppe, without electricity and water, once again facing discrimination, but not giving up their right to their land.
On November 12, 2015, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine officially recognized the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people in 1944 as genocide. With this act, the state not only honored the memory of the dead, but also recorded the historical truth that had been hushed up for decades. This day became not only a day of remembrance, but also a day of recognition of the struggle of the Crimean Tatars for the right to be owners of their land.
After the occupation of Crimea by Russia in 2014, the subject of the Crimean Tatar genocide became tragically relevant again. The Kremlin renewed its persecution: Crimean Tatars are imprisoned, declared “extremists”, Mejlis are banned, activists are arrested and people are kidnapped. Modern Russian policy towards Crimea has become a continuation of Soviet terror. Therefore, May 18 is not only a day of mourning for the past, but also a day of solidarity with the Crimean Tatars, who are currently under double pressure – occupation and repression.
Interesting facts
During the deportation in 1944, the Soviet authorities considered it a “military operation”: more than 32,000 NKVD employees took part, operating simultaneously throughout the Crimea.
Expelled Crimean Tatars had no right to return to Crimea until the end of the 1980s. Attempts to return were punished.
In 2015, a large-scale rally was held on Independence Square in Kyiv for the first time to commemorate the Genocide Victims’ Day, which was attended not only by Crimean Tatars, but also by representatives of all nationalities of Ukraine, diplomats, and human rights defenders.
In the same year, the Mejlis launched the action “Light a fire in your heart” — a symbolic commemoration of the victims of deportation with memorial candles and a moment of silence.
After 2014, the authorities in Crimea forbid holding public commemorative actions on May 18. This forced the Crimean Tatars to restore the tradition of secret commemoration: they put candles in windows, pray in mosques, and hang the Crimean Tatar flag on balconies.
In 2021, the European Parliament officially supported the resolution in which it recognized the deportation of 1944 as a crime of the Stalinist regime and expressed solidarity with the Crimean Tatar people in their struggle for rights.
International Museum Day
Every year on May 18, the International Day of Museums is celebrated all over the world – a holiday that unites all cultural institutions of the planet around a common goal: to preserve, display and understand the historical and artistic heritage of mankind. It was launched in 1977 at the General Assembly of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), and since then the day has become an important event in the calendar of cultural initiatives and the world museum movement.
The International Day of Museums is designed to draw society’s attention to the role of museums as platforms for cultural dialogue, international understanding, social cohesion and rethinking of the past. It is not just a repository of exhibits, but a space of living memory, scientific work and public discussion. Museums don’t just store things—they tell stories that shape national and personal identity.
Each year, ICOM announces a new theme that sets the tone for museum events around the world. These could be topics related to climate change, post-colonial legacies, digitization, issues of inclusion or rethinking the role of museums in times of crisis. Museums on this day become a space for open discussions, master classes, interactives, virtual tours, concerts, night tours and artistic performances.
For Ukraine, the International Day of Museums is especially significant during the war. The Russian Federation caused enormous damage to cultural heritage: dozens of museums were destroyed, thousands of exhibits were damaged or looted, in particular in Kherson, Mariupol, Izyum, Sloviansk, and Bakhmut. In response, Ukrainian museum workers launched a heroic campaign to evacuate and preserve the funds, and also entered the international arena, declaring crimes against culture as part of genocide.
Interesting facts
For the first time, the “Night at the Museum” action, timed to the Day of Museums, was held in France, and later it gained popularity in many countries. Museums open their doors until late at night, allowing visitors to look behind the scenes, see exhibitions in a new light, take part in quests and night readings.
In 2022, more than 37,000 museums from 158 countries joined the celebration of International Museum Day. It is one of the most massive cultural days in the world.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, for the first time in history, museums celebrated Museum Day almost entirely online: virtual tours, online lectures, interactive exhibitions and social media campaigns were created, demonstrating the flexibility of museums in times of crisis.
ICOM emphasizes that museums of the 21st century are not only about the past, but also about the future. Their role is to promote critical thinking, sustainable development, civic awareness and the fight against fakes.
World Baking Day
This is one of the most pleasant and fragrant holidays of the year, which is celebrated every year on the third Sunday of May. This is an unofficial but popular holiday in many countries of the world, which unites professional bakers, home cooks, bloggers and everyone who likes to cook or just enjoy the smell of fresh bread.
The holiday was started around 2012 by Stork, a company that produces culinary ingredients, with the idea of inspiring people around the world to bake something with their own hands. The slogan of World Baking Day became a call to action: “Bake not only for yourself – bake for others.” From the very beginning, the emphasis was on the fact that baking is a way to give care, love and attention to loved ones, neighbors, friends or even strangers.
World Baking Day is a reminder that baking bread, cakes, pies or rolls is not just a culinary practice, but a deeply emotional act. It’s about a touch of tradition, a memory of grandmother’s kitchen, a special silence in the house, when something homely and fragrant is rising in the oven.
Interesting facts
During one of the first holidays on social networks, participants from more than 40 countries shared photos of their pies, muffins, croissants and breads with the hashtag #WorldBakingDay.
In some countries, baking challenges are held to this day: for example, “try to bake something you have never baked before” or “bake and share”.
Bread found in Jordan is considered to be the oldest known pastry – it is about 14,000 years old. This proves that bread baking preceded even the development of agriculture.
In many cultures, baked goods have a sacred meaning: from ceremonial breads for weddings and funerals to Passover paschas, matzah, kalachi and Christmas cookies.
Historical events on this day
1915 — The first tank test in history took place near Riga: the machine, named “Usyudyhid”, was created according to the project of the engineer Porokhovshchikov. It was a prototype of armored vehicles, which later changed the course of world wars.
1917 — The First All-Ukrainian Military Congress, which played a key role in the formation of the Ukrainian National Army during the liberation struggle, began in Kyiv.
1920 — The All-Ukrainian Orthodox Church Council proclaimed the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church — this was the first step towards the spiritual independence of Ukrainians in the stormy days after the collapse of the empires.
1927 – Hollywood star Norma Tolmage accidentally left a footprint in the still soft asphalt, which later inspired the creation of the famous Walk of Fame – a symbol of cinema and eternal glory.
1944 — The Soviet authorities began the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people from Crimea. More than 100,000 people were deported to special settlements — a tragedy that was recognized as an act of genocide.
1949 — The first helipad was opened in New York — this became a new stage in the development of urban transport and air communication in megacities.
1951 — The UN imposed economic sanctions against China for supporting North Korea during the Korean War — the first such tough decision in the history of this international organization.
1953 — American Jacqueline Cochran made history as the first woman to break the sound barrier on an airplane — a breakthrough for women in aviation and gender equality in technical fields.
1974 — India conducted the first successful nuclear test and became the sixth state in the world to possess nuclear weapons.
1980 — An art museum was solemnly opened in Ivano-Frankivsk, which is now one of the most important centers of visual art in Western Ukraine.
1980 — On the same day, the eruption of the St. Helena volcano in the state of Washington took place in the USA, which took the lives of 57 people and became one of the largest natural disasters in the modern history of the country.
1981 — In Zurich, the American athlete Ronaldo Nehemia became the first in the world to run the 110-meter hurdles in less than 13 seconds, an incredible achievement in athletics.
1990 — The French high-speed train TGV set a speed record of 515.3 km/h, opening a new era of rail transportation.
1991 — Briton Helen Sherman became the first woman from Great Britain to travel in space — her mission on board the Soyuz spacecraft cemented the presence of women in space science.
1997 — Irish woman Bridget Dirren received a diploma with honors at the age of 102 – an example of exceptional strength of spirit and thirst for knowledge, which entered the Guinness Book of Records.
1998 — In Indonesia, thousands of students seized the parliament building in Jakarta, accelerating the fall of President Suharto’s regime after 32 years of authoritarian rule.
1999 — The Canadian government has decided not to regulate the Internet — a historic step in favor of freedom of speech and the development of digital democracy.
2005 — Ukraine ratified the Ottawa Convention and officially committed to destroying the world’s fifth-largest stockpile of anti-personnel mines — an important contribution to global mine security.
