May 31 is celebrated in Ukraine as the Day of Publishing, Printing and Book Distribution Workers, and in the world – the Birthday of Cycling, International Flight Attendant Day and World No Tobacco Day. This day in human history is a mosaic of events that reflect the change of eras, the birth of technology, dramatic turns of history and the birth of new cultural meanings.
Day of employees of publishing houses, printing and book distribution in Ukraine
Every year on the last Saturday of May, Ukraine celebrates a professional holiday — the Day of Publishing, Printing and Book Distribution Workers. This holiday is dedicated to those who ensure the existence of the printed word with their daily work — from the stage of editing and design, to printing and delivery of books, magazines, newspapers, and textbooks. In times of digital transformation, the importance of these professions does not decrease: they remain central to culture, education and national identity.
This holiday was established by the Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 563/99 dated May 25, 1999, to pay tribute to the workers who ensure the publication and distribution of book products. It unites publishers, editors, proofreaders, designers, typesetters, printers, distributors of literature, librarians and everyone who cares that the word finds its reader.
Ukrainian publishing houses, despite economic difficulties, reduction of print runs and difficulties with logistics, continue to create new editions, translate world classics, and popularize Ukrainian literature abroad. In 2022–2024, the growth of interest in Ukrainian authors was noticeable not only in Ukraine, but also among the diaspora and international readers. Many publishing houses shifted their emphasis to books for children, patriotic literature, documentary chronicles of the war, as well as translations of world bestsellers into Ukrainian.
At the same time, book distribution is experiencing difficult times. Destroyed bookstores, damaged warehouses, and reduced inventory in war-torn regions pose serious challenges. But digital distribution, online stores, and charitable initiatives to deliver books to de-occupied and front-line areas are helping to overcome these barriers.
This day is not only a professional recognition. It is also a reminder to society about the importance of supporting national book publishing, the development of reading, protecting the rights of authors and publishers, and the need to invest in print culture. After all, without a book there is no memory, no language, no full social dialogue.
Interesting facts
The first known printed edition in Ukrainian lands is “The Apostle” by Ivan Fedorov, published in Lviv in 1574. It was not only the first book printed in Cyrillic, but also a big step towards independent book publishing in Ukraine.
In the 18th century, printing houses operated at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and the Lviv Stavropygian Brotherhood. They not only printed religious literature, but also contributed to the formation of the Ukrainian cultural tradition.
In the 1920s and 1930s, publishing in the Ukrainian SSR experienced a boom: large state publishing houses were created, such as “Molod”, “Dnipro”, “Soviet Writer”. It was then that the first mass editions of the classics of Ukrainian literature were published.
After 1991, hundreds of private publishing houses appeared in Ukraine. In the late 1990s, children’s book publishing and translations were actively developing. Over the past 10 years, “A-BA-BA-GA-LA-MA-GA”, “Stary Lev Publishing House”, “Folio”, “Tempora”, “Nash Format”, “Vivat” and others have flourished.
In 2023, Ukraine was the guest of honor at the world’s largest book fair in Frankfurt. This became a recognition of the stability of the Ukrainian book industry in the conditions of war.
The birthday of cycling
This holiday has a historical basis and at the same time motivates modern society to move, endure and take care of oneself. It was on the last day of spring, May 31, 1868, that the first official bicycle races in history took place in Saint-Cloud Park near Paris. Participants had to cover a distance of two kilometers. The winner was 19-year-old James Moore, a Briton who rode a bicycle with a wooden frame and iron wheels. His name is forever inscribed in the history of world sports as the first official cycling champion.
This day became the starting point for the development of cycling as a professional direction. Later, cycling clubs, regional competitions, and already at the end of the 19th century — international tournaments, which later became part of the Olympic movement.
Today, cycling encompasses dozens of disciplines — from road racing to mountain biking, from track racing to BMX. At the same time, cycling has become not only a sporting phenomenon, but also a part of ecological culture, the philosophy of urbanism and a healthy lifestyle. In many countries of the world, the bicycle is considered as the main transport of the future, which will help reduce carbon emissions, improve the physical health of citizens and reduce the level of noise in megacities.
Interesting facts
The first bicycles were called “bike wheels”: they did not have pedals – people pushed off the ground with their feet. The inventor is considered to be the German Karl von Dres, who created the first prototype in 1817.
The bicycle chain appeared only in 1885. Before that, the transmission mechanism was primitive or completely absent.
The current speed record on a bicycle is more than 296 km/h. It was installed by American Denise Mueller-Korenek in 2018 under special conditions: she was being pulled by a car with an air screen.
The Tour de France, the most famous cycling race in the world, has been held since 1903. They last almost a month and cover thousands of kilometers across France.
Bicycle is the most common means of transportation in the world. In some countries, such as the Netherlands or Denmark, there are two bicycles per inhabitant.
It is estimated that regularly using a bicycle instead of a car can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 50% and reduce health care costs nationwide.
International Flight Attendant Day
This is a professional celebration of those who ensure the comfort, safety and peace of mind of millions of passengers during air travel. This day is a tribute not only to professional skill, but also to psychological endurance, emotional balance and high responsibility, which flight attendants demonstrate every day in the sky.
The date of the celebration is timed to a historical event: On May 31, 1912, German Air Transport (the predecessor of Lufthansa) first officially introduced the position of “air steward” – a person who was supposed to take care of passengers on board. More than a hundred years have passed since then, and the profession of a flight attendant has evolved from service support to a key element of aviation safety.
Despite the outward lightness, smiles and well-groomed appearance, the work of flight attendants and flight attendants is primarily stress resistance, knowledge of medical aid, evacuation skills, fire-fighting training, the ability to resolve conflicts and act in life-threatening conditions. All flight attendants undergo complex multi-level training: from simulating emergency landings to practicing the actions of hijacking an airplane.
Interesting facts
The world’s first flight attendant is considered to be Ellen Church, a certified nurse, who in 1930 suggested that Boeing Air Transport hire women with a medical education to increase the confidence of passengers. She became a symbol of a new era in aviation.
On average, a flight attendant travels up to 8 km per flight, servicing the cabin and carrying out job instructions.
In many countries, one of the mandatory skills of a flight attendant is the ability to neutralize an intruder on board, and for this they train in special training centers, including smoke rooms and fall simulators.
Every flight attendant must be able to give birth, perform resuscitation, immobilize a limb in case of injury – there are no doctors in the sky, and the crew is responsible for people’s lives before landing.
In Ukraine, the work of a flight attendant is officially recognized as high-risk and requires regular knowledge testing, medical examinations and re-certification.
Flight attendants are required to know the instructions for interacting with passengers who have disabilities, unaccompanied children, animals, passengers with phobias, intoxicated or aggressive people. Their mission is to ensure harmony even in the most difficult situations.
World No Tobacco Day
This initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) is aimed at combating one of the most dangerous factors of chronic diseases. This day is designed to draw attention to the harmful effects of tobacco smoking on human health, the environment and the economy, as well as to stimulate countries to take decisive anti-nicotine steps.
World No Tobacco Day was launched by WHO in 1987 to reduce the global spread of the tobacco epidemic, which claims more than 8 million lives each year. More than 1 million of them are passive smokers who did not hold a cigarette in their hands, but were forced to breathe poisoned air. According to the organization, tobacco is a leading cause of preventable death and at the same time a massive addiction, rooted in culture, advertising, politics and everyday life.
This day is also an important milestone for countries developing health policies. Anti-tobacco legislation, restrictions on smoking in public places, banning the sale of cigarettes to minors, graphic warnings on packs, support for smoking cessation programs — all of this is shaped by global pressure and experience centered around this date.
Interesting facts
Tobacco contains more than 7,000 chemicals, of which at least 69 are carcinogens—cancer-causing substances.
According to WHO estimates, a smoker loses an average of 10 years of life compared to a non-smoker.
More than 1.3 billion people in the world are smokers. Most of them live in low- and middle-income countries, where access to medicine is limited.
Passive smoking is the main cause of asthma, bronchitis, heart attacks and strokes among non-smokers. It is especially dangerous for children and pregnant women.
Vapes, aikos, tobacco heating systems are not a safe alternative: they are also addictive, contain nicotine and toxins, and harm the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
According to the statistics of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, about 20% of Ukrainians are smokers, many of them are young people under the age of 25. At the same time, more and more people are trying to get rid of this habit.
One smoked cigarette shortens life by an average of 11 minutes. If you smoke a pack a day, that’s almost 4 hours of your life every day devoted to a harmful habit.
Growing tobacco harms the environment: destroys soils, leads to deforestation and the use of pesticides. The tobacco industry produces billions of cigarette butts every year, which are the most common type of litter on the planet.
Historical events on this day
455 year — the Roman emperor Petronius Maximus, who tried to escape from the city before the invasion of the Vandals, is overtaken and killed by a crowd of angry citizens. His death at the hands of the Romans became a symbol of the final decline of the authority of the imperial power in the Western Roman Empire.
1223 year — one of the first major battles between Russia and the Mongol conquerors takes place on the Kalka River. The troops of the principalities and Polovtsians suffer a crushing defeat from the army of Subedey and Jebe. This is not only evidence of the strategic superiority of the Mongols, but also the beginning of a new era in the history of Eastern Europe.
1790 year — The US Congress passes the country’s first copyright law. This document guaranteed the authors of books, maps and graphic works the right to exclusive use of their works for 14 years and laid the foundations of the American intellectual property industry.
1859 year – in London, the famous Big Ben clock on the tower of the Palace of Westminster is put into operation. Its bells would later become one of the main sonic and visual symbols of Britain, recognizable throughout the world.
1870 year — Professor Edward Joseph de Smedt, who worked for the American Asphalt company, receives a patent for an asphalt pavement known as “French asphalt pavement”. This invention became the basis for the modern road surface, without which it is impossible to imagine any city.
1879 year — in Berlin, for the first time in history, an electric train designed by Werner von Siemens is demonstrated, and the first electric railway is opened. This breakthrough marked the beginning of the development of environmentally friendly urban transport.
1884 year — American doctor and vegetarian reformer John Kellogg patents corn flakes, which will later become one of the most popular breakfast foods in the world. His idea arose as part of a religious and medical movement for “pure” food and a moral life.
1894 year — the first electric tram starts running in Lviv. This is not only a technical achievement for the city, but also an important step towards the modernization of urban transport in the then Austro-Hungarian Empire.
1911 year — the legendary passenger liner “Titanic” is launched in Belfast. On this day, the ship did not yet know its tragic fate, but was perceived as a triumph of engineering thought and a symbol of luxury.
1946 year — Oleg Antonov’s design office is being created in Kyiv. It will become a leading center of Ukrainian aircraft manufacturing, where unique aircraft will be produced, including the An-2, An-124 “Ruslan” and An-225 “Mriya”.
1989 year — the founding conference of the International Association of Ukrainianists takes place in Naples. This event marked an important stage in the establishment of Ukrainian science on the world stage and the activation of studies of the language, literature, history and culture of Ukraine abroad.
Battle of Kalka
On May 31, 1223, the first battle took place between the troops of the Kyiv prince Mstislav Romanovych, the Galician prince Mstislav Mstislavich Udatny, other Russian regional princes, as well as the Polovtsy, led by Khan Kotyan Sutoevich, with a 20,000-strong detachment of Tatar-Mongols. They were led by a reconnaissance corps under the command of generals Subedey and Jebe, who acted on the direct orders of Genghis Khan — to reach, in particular, the lands of “Orosut” (Russians), to the “town of Kivamen-kermen” (Kiev).
The battle took place on the Kalka River – this is the modern territory of the Donetsk region of Ukraine. The history of the battle began two years before the Mongols pushed the Polovtsians out of the steppes. Polovtsian khans were forced to look for help in Russia. They requested: “If you don’t help us, we will be destroyed today, and you will be destroyed tomorrow!” According to the testimony of contemporaries, the Polovtsy were fair-haired, light-eyed, spoke with the Rus without difficulty, were actively related to them, and had no language barrier. They made an alliance. The Russians decided to act wisely: “If we don’t help them, the Polovtsy will join the enemy, and the power of the enemy will increase.”
The “unknown enemy” – that is, the Mongols – twice appealed to the princes with an offer of peace. However, the negotiations never took place, and the ambassadors were killed. Self-reliance won: “Let’s drop our hats,” the allies thought.
The united army consisted of approximately 100,000 Russian soldiers from Kyiv, Halych, Chernihiv, Smolensk and other principalities. Another 50,000 people from Polovtsy joined them. But despite the numerical advantage, the army did not have a single command: each wife was subject only to her prince, and there was no unity between the princes themselves. Everyone fought for himself and for his own interests. As the chronicler wrote: “There was a great kotorah (discord) between them.”
In addition, professional training left much to be desired. The basis of the Russian army was militias, poorly armed (axes, machetes, wooden stakes) and not trained to fight in the conditions of a maneuverable battle. The Polovtsy did not have a systematic military organization at all. Against this background, the Mongols had an obvious advantage: experienced warriors, strict discipline, proven combat tactics. A key feature of their army was continuous battle management. Khans, temniks, and thousands did not fight in formation, but were on promotions, directed actions with the help of flags, light and smoke signals, sounds of trumpets and drums.
The result was disastrous – the battle was completely lost. Princes and military leaders who were captured were put under wooden decks, on which the Mongols drank and celebrated, and then they were killed. More than 100,000 Russians and Polovtsians died. “All the princes were beaten. They were beaten for our sins… This has never happened before. The Tatars, having defeated the Russian people because of the sins of the Christians, came and reached Svyatopolk’s Novgorod. The Russians, not knowing their deceitfulness, came out to meet them with crosses – and they were all killed…” – according to the testimony of the Galician-Volyn Chronicle.
However, due to lack of forces and losses, the Mongols did not go further to Kyiv, but returned to the Volga. And there they were defeated by the Volga Bulgars. Out of 20 thousand, only about 4 thousand returned to their native steppe. However, they fulfilled the main task: studied the future theater of hostilities, got acquainted with the enemy’s tactics, his weaknesses, organization, and internal strife. And for Russia, the battle at Kalka became a tragic and instructive page of history. Unfortunately, a page from which no conclusions were drawn.
Big Ben: the story of a symbol of London that taught the world precision
On May 31, 1859, the clock installed on the famous tower of the Palace of Westminster began to strike time in London. This day is considered the beginning of the work of Big Ben – one of the most famous architectural monuments of Great Britain. However, there are two more important dates in this story: April 10, 1858, when the largest of the five clock bells was raised on the tower, and July 11, 1859, when this main bell rang for the first time.
Around the world, the name Big Ben has been fixed behind the clock tower, although at first only the main bell was called that. According to one version, the bell was named in honor of Sir Benjamin Hall, the curator of construction, according to another – in honor of Benjamin Count, a famous heavyweight boxer. The name turned out to be so successful and easy to remember that soon it began to denote the entire structure – both the clock itself and the tower.
The dials of Big Ben are located at the four corners of the world. They are made of Birmingham opal, each measuring 7 meters in diameter. At the base of the dials is engraved in Latin: “God Save Our Queen Victoria I” and the perimeter of the tower contains the inscription “Praise the Lord”.
The hands of the clock are also impressive with their size: the hour hand is 2.7 meters long, made of cast iron, and the minute hand is 4.2 meters long, made of copper sheet. The bells of Big Ben strike out a melody, the words of which sound like: “Through this hour the Lord protects me, and his power will not allow anyone to stumble.”
The height of the Big Ben tower is 96 meters, and the only way up is a narrow spiral staircase with 334 steps. Due to the special design, the time is visible from all four sides, regardless of where the observer is standing.
For a long time, the clock was considered the largest in the world. Today, it ranks third behind the clock on the Abraj al-Bait skyscraper in Mecca and the clock on City Hall in Minneapolis. Despite this, Big Ben remains a symbol of reliability, precision and British punctuality. Even during the Second World War, when the tower was damaged by Luftwaffe bombs, the clockwork did not stop.
Adjusting the accuracy of the stroke is very delicate – by adding a 1 penny coin to the pendulum. This changes the movement speed by 0.4 seconds per day. It was this adjustment system that made the watch a model of technical excellence.
Interesting fact: Big Ben once even housed a prison for members of parliament who behaved aggressively or were disruptive during meetings. In its entire history, only one person visited it – Emmeline Pankhurst, an activist of the women’s rights movement. Today, a monument to her is erected next to the Parliament as one of the most outstanding figures of British public life.
