On May 5, the Day of Civil-Military Cooperation Specialists of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as the International Day of Struggle for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and World Midwife Day are celebrated. This day is full of events that left a deep mark in world, European and Ukrainian history.
Day of Civil-Military Cooperation Specialists of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
It is a professional celebration of those who are the bridge between the military and civilians, who serve not only with a weapon, but also with an open heart and the ability to make connections, support the population and defend the truth.
The holiday was established in accordance with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine No. 333 of December 24, 2022. The document emphasizes the “significant contribution of Central Military Commission specialists to strengthening the state’s defense capabilities” and the importance of the tasks that these units perform in countering armed aggression. The chosen date has a symbolic meaning: precisely on May 5, 2014, a pilot project on civil-military cooperation was launched in the Armed Forces. Already in June of the same year, despite the instability of the war, the project was successfully implemented, laying the foundation for the creation of a full-fledged structure according to NATO standards. Civil-military cooperation became the first structure in the Armed Forces, formed according to NATO standards
Civil-military cooperation specialists of the Armed Forces are a special contingent. They work on the border between the front and the rear, conduct a dialogue with local communities, coordinate evacuation, help organize humanitarian aid, organize the safe return of civilians to de-occupied settlements, interact with international missions, ensure the exchange of information, and often simply provide moral support to those in despair.
Their activities cover everything: from mediation between military units and local authorities to helping children in war zones, monitoring the needs of the population, accompanying journalists, organizing the delivery of medical supplies, coordinating charitable initiatives, meeting with the clergy, and working with international volunteers. Thanks to the work of the Central Security Service, bridges of trust are being restored where the explosion just happened.
Interesting facts
The first unit of the Central Security Service was formed in June 2014 on the basis of the educational center in Zhytomyr. Its basis was made up of officer-instructors who were trained according to NATO standards.
In 2016, the Armed Forces of Ukraine officially included the Central Security Service in the organizational and staff structure, and later Central Security Service units appeared in all operational commands.
Ukrainian specialists of the Central Security Service participated in the UN peacekeeping missions in Liberia, Kosovo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, precisely in the role of contact officers between the forces and the local population.
In 2022–2023, the Central Security Forces became key players in the organization of the humanitarian response to the disaster in the Kherson region after the explosion of the Kakhovskaya HPP: they coordinated the actions of the military, volunteers, rescuers, and international partners.
The units of the Central Military Commission have their own motto: “Help is our weapon.” These are not just words – they are a principle that defines the daily work of those who protect civilians not with bullets, but with decisions, coordination and humanity.
In 2023, the Central Military Commission specialist Captain Andrii Grachov was recognized as one of the ten best servicemen of the year according to the Ministry of Defense – for his brilliant coordination of the evacuation of the civilian population during the battles for the Lyman.
International Day of Struggle for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
This day was founded in 1992 at the initiative of activists who sought to bring the issue of the rights of people with disabilities from the margins to the center of public discussion. Its purpose is not only to remind about the barriers that still exist, but also to testify that disability is not a problem of a person, but an imperfection of the system.
This day arose as a reaction to numerous cases of discrimination, indifference and exclusion of persons with disabilities from active social life. The initiators of the action, which later grew into a worldwide movement, emphasized that the struggle for rights is not a struggle for privileges, but for equal opportunities. Since then, May 5 has become a day of protests, demonstrations, as well as educational and human rights campaigns, which cover dozens of countries around the world.
In Ukraine, the issue of the rights of persons with disabilities has never been simple. Before the full-scale invasion of Russia, the system of support for people with disabilities remained fragmented, often formal. However, the war exacerbated the problem to the extreme. Hundreds of thousands of wounded military personnel, civilians, children who have lost limbs, vision, hearing or the ability to move independently have joined the community of people with disabilities – often without adequate rehabilitation, accessible environments and adapted infrastructure.
As human rights activists point out, a “new generation” of people with disabilities is forming in Ukraine today – young, educated, active people who have been traumatized by the war, but are not ready to accept the role of “invisibles”. They demand dignity, respect, modern prostheses, physical access to buildings, transport and digital services.
A separate reality is servicemen with disabilities. In Ukraine, from 2022, the number of people who received combat wounds will reach tens of thousands. Some of them, despite their disability, return to service — as drone operators, instructors, strategists. They are living proof that disability does not equal inability.
Interesting facts
The term “disability” itself is increasingly being replaced in international discourse by “people with disabilities” or “people with disabilities” to avoid stigmatization.
In the world, more than a billion people have one or another form of disability — that’s about 15% of the Earth’s population.
In 2006, the UN adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Ukraine ratified in 2009. But the implementation of its provisions still remains incomplete.
In Norway, Sweden and Iceland, the issue of accessibility is regulated at the level of criminal law: discrimination based on disability can be considered a crime.
In the US, people with any form of disability can run for office — in particular, the Senate of Congress has amputees, and the Pentagon has a program to fully adapt the workplace for employees with hearing and vision impairments.
The first rehabilitation center fully built according to Western accessibility standards and equipped with 3D printers for the manufacture of prostheses will be opened in Ukraine from 2022.
World Midwife Day
It is a day of respect, gratitude and recognition of those who first meet us in the world. This day was launched in 1992 by the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) to draw attention to the important role of midwives in the health care system. However, for more than three decades of its existence, it has outgrown the framework of professional honoring — it has become a day of reminder of women’s health, dignified childbirth and the right to quality care.
Midwives accompany women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, often performing not only a clinical but also a psychological, emotional and educational function. In many countries, they are the first and main specialists to whom expectant women turn.
According to WHO data, skilled midwifery care can reduce maternal mortality by 83%. It’s not just statistics, it’s life. Where midwives are properly trained, empowered and institutionally supported, birth is safe. Where they are underestimated, birth becomes a risk.
World Midwife Day is also a day of struggle for decent working conditions for this professional group. In many countries, midwives face underfunding, lack of resources, exhausting shifts and administrative pressures. And although maximum inclusion, efficiency and humanity are expected from them, they do not always receive the respect they deserve in return.
Interesting facts
There are about 1.9 million midwives in the world, but at least 900,000 more are needed to cover all care needs.
According to UN estimates, one in three women in low-income countries give birth without the help of qualified medical personnel, and midwives are the ones who can fill this gap.
In Sweden, Iceland, Denmark and the Netherlands, a midwife can give birth without a doctor, provided the course is normal.
In France, there are separate professional unions of midwives that regularly strike to protect their rights and working conditions.
In 2021, the UN report on the state of midwifery highlighted that large-scale investment in this field could prevent 4.3 million deaths every year – of mothers, newborns and unborn children.
In some African countries, midwives also play the role of educational leaders, teaching communities not only about childbirth, but also about sexual health, vaccinations, hygiene and the fight against gender-based violence.
Historical events on this day
1900 — In the village of Zavalya, Snyatinsky District, lawyer Kyrylo Trilovskyi started the first Ukrainian sports and firefighting association called “Sich”. The idea of combining physical training and national spirit became the basis of a wider movement that quickly spread throughout Galicia.
1915 — The General Ukrainian Council was created in Vienna, a political association that continued and expanded the activities of the Main Ukrainian Council. The organization aimed to represent the interests of all Ukrainians in the difficult conditions of the First World War.
1920 — The combined forces of the Directorate of the Ukrainian People’s Republic and the Polish Army liberated Kyiv from the Bolshevik occupation. It became one of the most symbolic events in the Ukrainian military-political history of that time.
1920 — On the same day, the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was proclaimed — a step that became a landmark for the struggle for the spiritual independence of Ukrainian Orthodoxy.
1921 — In France, the legendary Coco Chanel presented her first perfume – the famous “Chanel No. 5”. They have become one of the most famous and best-selling fragrances in the world.
1941 — In the Atlantic Ocean, a German submarine attacked and sank a ship with 75 Canadian soldiers. These losses were the first combat losses of the Canadian army during the Second World War.
1945 — An anti-German uprising began in Prague. It became one of the last acts of resistance in Europe before the end of the war and a symbol of Czech national dignity.
1949 — The Council of Europe, an international organization that today unites dozens of states for the protection of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, began its activities.
1956 — The world’s first judo championship started in Tokyo, which started the world sports tradition of this Japanese martial art.
1961 — American Alan Shepard became the first person from the USA to make a suborbital space flight. His flight lasted 15 minutes and paved the way for further NASA missions.
1988 — For the first time in the history of mankind, a telecast was made from the top of Everest. This breakthrough is not only technical, but also symbolic – the world saw the highest point of the planet in real time.
1992 — The Crimean Parliament announced the independence of the peninsula and scheduled a referendum on confirmation of this status for August. The event became the source of many years of political and legal disputes.
1994 — A ceasefire agreement between Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Russia was signed in the capital of Russia. This laid the foundation for a temporary peace after a protracted conflict.
1999 — For the first time in the history of Scotland, elections were held for its own parliament. This move was a result of political decentralization in Great Britain and strengthened the autonomy of the region.
1999 — On the same day, North Macedonia closed its borders to Albanian refugees from Kosovo. This move caused a wave of criticism from the international community against the background of the humanitarian crisis.
On May 5, 1821, after six years of exile on the island of Saint Helena, Napoleon Bonaparte died. His last words were: “France… Army… Vanguard.” This is how historical sources testify about the end of the life of the former emperor. The French government’s communiqué that day listed “wasting disease” as the official cause of death.
They say that before the death of the emperor, his servants saw a comet in the eastern sky. Napoleon himself, who lived near mortal danger all his life, said then: “The comet announced the death of Caesar and announced mine as well.” And on the fifth of May, according to biographers, a strong storm arose over the sea, which shook the walls of the house on the island of St. Helena.
Three weeks before his death, Napoleon signed a will in which he expressed his last wish: “I want my ashes to rest on the banks of the Seine, among the French people, whom I loved so much.” This wish was fulfilled only in 1840, when his remains were solemnly reburied in the mausoleum of the Cathedral of the Invalides in Paris.
Six days before the end, Napoleon gave his personal physician the last order: “After my death, which is not far off, I want you to make an autopsy on my body… I especially ask that you carefully examine my stomach and make an accurate and detailed report that you will pass on to my son… I insist and oblige you to conduct this examination with all diligence… I leave as a legacy to all ruling dynasties the horror and shame of the last days of my life.” In his will, he also noted: “I die prematurely at the hands of the English oligarchy and its hired assassins.”
The great exile died in terrible agony on May 5, 1821 at 5:49 p.m. The autopsy was performed by six English doctors and Napoleon’s personal physician, the Corsican Francesco Antomarchi, who had been watching the emperor for the last eighteen months. It was he who performed the autopsy. According to everyone present, the main focus of the disease was the stomach. However, agreement on the final cause of death could not be reached, so four different medical reports were drawn up.
In the 20th century, scientists decided to find out the true cause of Napoleon’s death. After several years of research, they came to the conclusion: he died of arsenic poisoning, and the poisoning was not accidental. So, the emperor was killed. It was established that he began receiving heavy doses of arsenic between July 31 and October 1, 1816, and the poisoning continued until his death.
On May 5, 1961, three weeks after Yuri Gagarin’s historic flight, the American Alan Shepard went into space. His flight had a suborbital character: the astronaut did not go into orbit, but made a short takeoff and descent. The launch took place from the US Air Force base at Cape Canaveral. The capsule reached an altitude of about 186.5 kilometers and landed 486 kilometers from the launch site. The entire trip lasted 15 minutes and 28 seconds.
Unlike Gagarin, Shepard, a professional fighter pilot, flew the craft himself in manual mode. This control became an important difference in the technologies and strategies of the United States in space exploration at the time. Before the start, Shepard uttered a phrase that has gone down in history as “Shepard’s Prayer”: “God, please don’t let me screw up.” These words later became popular among American pilots and astronauts. During the live broadcast of the flight, which was conducted around the world, after seeing the Earth from space, he said: “What a beautiful view.”
Shepard made his second flight at the age of 47, becoming the oldest NASA astronaut at that time. He was the commander of the Apollo 14 mission, the third successful American expedition to the Moon. During this mission, Shepard became the first person to play golf on the moon, using a specially modified instrument key as a club.
