November 14 marks the International Anti-Trafficking Day, World Diabetes Day, International Speech Therapist Day and World Quality Day.
International Day to Combat Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Property
This day is dedicated to raising awareness of the scale of illegal movement, sale and destruction of cultural artefacts, which are of great value to the national heritage of different countries. The International Day Against Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Property was established by UNESCO to remind the world of the obligation to protect and preserve cultural property for future generations.
Interesting facts
According to Interpol estimates, annual losses from the illegal circulation of cultural values reach billions of dollars. This criminal activity ranks third in revenue after arms and drug trafficking.
One of the main goals of this day is to draw attention to the challenges that countries face in the fight against the theft and illegal sale of cultural objects. UNESCO urges governments to strengthen measures to protect national heritage and facilitate the return of stolen artefacts.
One of the successful cases of the return of cultural values was the return to Egypt of the bust of Nefertiti, which for decades was an exhibit in Germany. Successful negotiations and legal demands made it possible to return him to his country of origin, which emphasized the importance of cooperation at the international level.
Cultural values often become the object of illegal trade due to global conflicts and economic instability. Regions that have experienced military conflicts or social upheavals are often left without adequate supervision, which creates favorable conditions for the looting of museums and archaeological sites.
Modern technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence and geo-monitoring are actively used to track and identify stolen cultural property. This allows for a more effective fight against contraband and facilitates their return.
Many countries create special units to investigate crimes related to cultural heritage. For example, France has a special police unit for the protection of cultural heritage, which works with Interpol and is one of the most effective in Europe.
During the military operations of 2022, the cultural heritage of Ukraine suffered numerous losses and damages. In response to these challenges, Ukraine actively cooperates with international organizations to protect cultural values and their return, because many museums and monuments are at risk of destruction or illegal removal of artifacts.
World Diabetes Day
This day is celebrated around the world to draw public attention to this chronic disease, which affects millions of people around the world every year. This date was chosen in honor of the birthday of Frederick Bunting, one of the scientists who discovered insulin in 1921. Insulin has become a revolutionary drug that has helped millions of diabetics to control their disease and improve their quality of life.
There are two main types of diabetes — type 1 diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease where the body does not produce insulin, and type 2 diabetes, which is more often associated with unhealthy lifestyles, obesity, and inactivity. Type 2 diabetes is the most common and accounts for about 90% of all diabetes cases.
According to WHO, today more than 420 million people in the world live with a diagnosis of “diabetes”. This number is steadily increasing, and by 2045 it is predicted that the number of sufferers may increase to almost 700 million.
The blue circle is an international symbol of the fight against diabetes, which means unity and support in the fight against this disease. Many buildings and monuments are illuminated in blue on this day as a symbol of solidarity with people with diabetes.
Obesity, poor diet, low levels of physical activity, stress, heredity, and high blood pressure are all factors that significantly increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Without proper treatment, diabetes can lead to serious complications such as cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, damage to the nervous system, and decreased vision, which can lead to blindness. In addition, diabetes is often the cause of lower limb amputations.
Regular physical activity, a balanced diet, weight control, and stress reduction help reduce the risk of developing diabetes. WHO recommends at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day to maintain good health.
Modern medicine offers a variety of treatments for diabetes, including insulin injections, medications, diet, and exercise. For many patients, regular monitoring of blood glucose levels is important to effectively control the disease.
International speech therapist day
This day is dedicated to the work of specialists who help people overcome speech and communication problems. This day reminds society of the important role of speech therapists in the development of language skills, especially for children who face speech difficulties, as well as for adults who need to restore language functions after injuries or illnesses.
Interesting facts
Speech therapists work with different age groups, from infants to the elderly. They help overcome language disorders, dyslexia, articulation disorders and communication problems that occur after strokes or brain injuries.
Speech therapists play an important role in the speech development of children who may have language delays or other language disorders. Specialists help children learn to pronounce sounds more clearly, expand their vocabulary and develop effective communication skills.
Speech therapists deal with the correction of disorders such as stuttering, voice disorders, aphasia (loss of the ability to speak) and dyslexia. Through special exercises and techniques, they help people restore and improve language functions.
For people who have suffered a stroke or brain injury, speech therapists help restore speech, chewing, swallowing, and other functions related to speech and communication. Recovery can take a long time and speech therapists are important in this process.
Today’s speech therapists use the latest technologies, such as computer programs and virtual reality, to expand their capabilities in working with patients. These technologies make the treatment process more effective and interesting for children.
Many speech therapists integrate elements of music and rhythm into their work, as such exercises can help improve speech. For example, rhythmic exercises help with stuttering, and music classes can stimulate the development of language functions in children.
Speech therapists emphasize the importance of early intervention in the detection of speech disorders. The sooner parents turn to a specialist, the easier and faster it will be to correct the child’s language difficulties.
Speech therapists often work not only with children, but also teach parents how to properly support their child at home to promote their language development. This provides a more comprehensive approach to addressing speech difficulties.
World Quality Day
This holiday is designed to draw attention to the importance of quality in the production of goods and services, as well as the importance of high standards in various fields, such as industry, education, medicine, IT and others. The main purpose of this day is to raise awareness of quality as a fundamental aspect of successful operations that affects safety, efficiency and customer satisfaction. This holiday shows that the quality of products and services is not just a technical parameter, but a philosophy of companies’ activities, on which their reputation, competitiveness and financial success depend.
Interesting facts
World Quality Day was founded in 1989 on the initiative of the European Organization for Quality (EOQ), with the support of the United Nations. This day is designed to promote the improvement of quality standards in enterprises and organizations around the world.
In many countries, World Quality Day is the central event of Quality Week, with seminars, conferences, trainings and exhibitions dedicated to quality innovation, best management practices and modern approaches to ensuring standards.
In today’s world, product quality is a key component of competition. Companies that provide high quality standards gain customer trust, strengthen their brand and increase customer loyalty.
Recognized world standards in the field of quality are the ISO 9000 series of standards, which define requirements for quality management systems. Implementation of ISO standards helps enterprises systematize processes, reduce risks, increase efficiency and meet customer expectations.
With the emergence of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data and automation, quality management is becoming more effective. Modern tools allow you to accurately monitor all stages of production and promptly respond to any deviations.
Quality is important not only in industry, but also in education, medicine, services, transport, where safety, health and satisfaction of citizens depend on quality. For example, in medicine, the quality of services directly affects the health of patients, and in education, it affects the future generation.
One of the concepts of quality assurance is the “Zero Defects” approach, which emphasizes the need to minimize errors at all stages of the production process, which increases the overall quality of products.
Achieving high quality standards is possible only with the active participation of all personnel. Companies often conduct training for employees to develop a culture of quality and encourage their involvement in the process of improving products or services.
Quality has a direct impact on sustainable development, because quality products are products that have a longer service life and are created with minimal negative impact on the environment. Companies that adhere to high quality standards are also more likely to implement environmental approaches.
Historical events on this day
332 BC — Alexander the Great is crowned as pharaoh of Egypt, cementing his influence in the region and ushering in an era of Greek rule in Egypt that led to a cultural synthesis between Egypt and the Hellenistic world.
1918 year — Hetman of Ukraine Pavlo Skoropadskyi, trying to ensure the support of the Entente, proclaims the federation of the Ukrainian State with the future non-Bolshevik Russia. This decision becomes one of the reasons that contributed to the anti-Hetman uprising, although it was not the main cause of the conflict.
1918 year — In the Czechoslovak Republic, at the first meeting of the National Assembly, Tomas Masaryk is elected president. This symbolizes the beginning of a new page for Czechoslovakia as an independent state.
1918 year — According to the decree of Hetman Pavel Skoropadskyi, the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences was founded in Ukraine, which received official status and became the main scientific institution of the country, uniting the leading scientists of Ukraine.
1920 year — The government of the Ukrainian People’s Republic, under the pressure of wartime circumstances, is forced to leave the territory of Ukraine and move to Poland, which marks the end of attempts to preserve an independent Ukrainian state in that period.
1925 year — The Legion of Ukrainian Nationalists is created in the Czechoslovak Republic, which becomes the organizational center of Ukrainian nationalist movements in the country and supports the idea of Ukraine’s independence.
1939 year — The Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR adopts the Law on the so-called “reunification” of Western Ukraine with the Ukrainian SSR, which was actually the annexation of this territory to the Soviet Union after the invasion of Soviet troops.
1944 year — The State Museum of Ukrainian Art opens in Kyiv, which preserves and exhibits outstanding examples of Ukrainian art from different eras, known today as the National Art Museum of Ukraine.
1963 year — A powerful underwater volcanic explosion causes the formation of a new island, Surtsey, located 33 km south of the coast of Iceland. This event provides scientists with a unique opportunity to study the formation of islands from scratch.
1999 year — Leonid Danylovych Kuchma was elected to the post of President of Ukraine for the second time, which confirms his political influence and marks the next stage in the country’s development.
2005 year — Boeing Corporation announces the start of production of a new model of the Boeing 747-8 aircraft, which will be one of the largest and most modern commercial airliners in the world, with an updated design and improved characteristics.
Allowing women to work at the bar
On November 14, 1900, the French Senate passed a decision that allowed women to work at the bar. The first woman who received the right to practice law in France was Shayna Lea-Balakhovska, also known as Sonia Olga Balakhovska-Peti. The second female lawyer was Jeanne Chauvin, who was later awarded the title of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor.
Initially, public opinion regarding the role of women in the legal sphere was divided. Senator Gurzheu expressed doubts about whether a woman will be able to find her place in the legal profession: “…getting into the legal environment in any way, what will a woman do there? What will she achieve there? What success and what clientele can she expect there?”.
Instead, France’s justice minister emphasized the importance of women’s mercy in justice, stressing that women can add humanity to the judicial system, saying: “When there is a gentle voice capable of speaking on behalf of suffering mothers, that voice should not be silenced just because it is gentle and persuasive. Women can help justice become more human.”
On December 1, 1900, the law was signed by the French president, and just a few hours after publication in the newspapers, Shayna Lea-Balakhovska appeared in professional clothes in the first chamber of the Paris court and took the oath as the first female lawyer in France. By 1908, there were already 21 female lawyers working in France.
At the same time, in the Russian Empire, the path to the bar was closed to women. The first woman to become a lawyer’s assistant was Ekaterina Abramivna Fleishyts, a native of Kremenchuk, Poltava province. She graduated from the University of Paris with honors and passed the exams in St. Petersburg, receiving a first degree diploma. However, on November 13, 1909, the Senate of the Russian Empire recognized the illegal participation of women as defense attorneys in criminal cases after the appeal of the Minister of Justice I.G. Shcheglovitov, who was outraged by the participation of women in court proceedings. The prosecutor of that time even refused to participate in the court session, when a female defense attorney was present, and demonstratively left the courtroom.
The Senate justified its position by stating that “only men” had the right to act as lawyers. One of the main arguments was that a lawyer, speaking in court, should have a university badge on the lapel of his tailcoat, which, according to the norms of the time, a woman could not wear. Accordingly, it was concluded that a woman cannot be a sworn attorney, and Ekaterina Fleishits was excluded from the bar.
The main arguments of the opponents of women’s participation in the bar were the following statements:
- Difference by nature: According to critics, even in the act of creation, God showed the difference between man and woman, so women’s participation in judicial matters was considered inappropriate.
- Mistrust of clients: It was believed that clients would not trust women because, under the law at the time, women were not even allowed to be witnesses to wills.
- Lack of training: critics emphasized that the women allegedly lacked sufficient training and legal knowledge.
- Dependence on men: women could speak in court only with the permission of their husbands, which emphasized their subordination.
- The danger of manipulation: it was feared that women could influence the judges with their charm, and therefore could dishonestly influence the outcome of the case.
Only in 1917, thanks to the decree of the Provisional Government under the leadership of lawyer Oleksandr Kerensky, women were officially allowed to work at the bar. This decision marked the beginning of a new stage in the history of the Russian bar.
Ekaterina Fleishyts, despite the ban, continued to work as a private attorney, not participating in court hearings. She became the first female doctor of legal sciences in the Soviet Union and an honored scientist.
The oldest resident of England, who lived for 152 years, was invited to the court of King Charles I
On November 14, 1635, Thomas Parr, the oldest resident of England, who lived for 152 years, was invited to the court of King Charles I. However, he did not manage to enjoy the royal reception: because of the abundant and unusual food, which he was not used to, Thomas died. It was an unexpected end for a man who had lived for decades on a simple diet, maintaining health and strength into old age.
According to his own words, Thomas Parr was born in 1483 in the village of Wollaston near the border with Wales. It is said that his native house still stands there. During his life, he served in the army until he was 50, was engaged in farming and married for the first time only at 80. The first marriage was short-lived and difficult, because both of his children died in infancy. Despite this, Parr even while married had an affair with a woman named Catherine Milton, who bore him a child when he was 105 years old. After the death of his first wife, he married a second time at the age of 122.
The secret of his longevity remains unknown, although there are many legends. According to one pamphlet describing his life in the form of a poem, Parr worked on a farm and ate a simple diet of fermented milk products, coarse bread and sour whey. Thomas himself often answered questions about the secret of his longevity with humor, saying: “I repented in the church when I was a hundred years old”.
After his death, the doctor who performed the autopsy noted that all of Parr’s organs were in perfect condition. The doctor believed that if Thomas had remained in his native Shropshire with its clean air and simple food, he might have lived even longer. Parr saw nine kings of England in his lifetime and actually lived through the entire Tudor dynasty.
By order of Charles I, Thomas Parr was buried in Westminster Abbey on 15 November 1635. A legend about his extraordinary longevity was engraved on his tombstone.
