November 26th is International Shoemaker’s Day, International Obesity Day and World Olive Tree Day. It is also rich in various historical events.
International Shoemaker’s Day
This day is dedicated to artisans, whose work remains important even in the modern world. The International Shoemaker’s Day is a great opportunity to express respect and gratitude to the craftsmen who create and repair shoes. Their work, combining art and craftsmanship, has deep roots.
Shoemaking has existed for thousands of years, and even in the era of mass production, unique handmade products remain valuable. This day reminds us how important those who take care of the comfort of our steps are, because quality shoes affect not only style, but also health.
Interesting facts
Shoemaking is one of the oldest crafts in the world. It is known that even in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, craftsmen created special shoes for pharaohs and nobility. Their products were embellished with jewels, gold and embroidery, and each pair of shoes was created by hand.
In medieval Europe, shoes were a symbol of social status. Boots with long socks or heels could only be afforded by the rich. Shoemakers often worked exclusively on the orders of wealthy clients.
In the Middle Ages, shoemakers were united in guilds or guilds that protected their rights, set standards for the quality of their products, and regulated prices. This allowed the craft to maintain a high level of craftsmanship.
In many countries, bootmakers received special orders for the production of shoes for the army. For example, in the 18th century, British bootmakers developed special boots for soldiers that were strong and comfortable for long marches. Kings also had their own personal cobblers who provided them with unique footwear.
The idea of high-heeled shoes belongs to bootmakers. Initially, heels were created for male riders, so that they could more comfortably hold themselves in the stirrups. Only later did they become popular among women.
With the advent of sewing machines in the 19th century, shoemaking underwent significant changes. Mass production of shoes began, which made it possible to make them more affordable for the general population. However, handwork and unique products remained valuable.
Legend has it that one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s shoemakers created special shoes for the emperor that helped hide his short stature. Napoleon highly appreciated the skill of this craftsman.
The expression “cobbler without boots” arose as a description of shoemakers who, due to the workload of orders, often did not have time to make shoes for themselves. This saying has become a symbol of paradoxes in life.
Shoemakers often became heroes of folk tales and legends. For example, in Irish folklore, leprechauns, who are associated with luck and gold, are often depicted as cobblers.
Today, the profession of a shoemaker takes on a new life in the context of fashion for sustainability and unique products. People are increasingly appreciating handmade shoes as an alternative to mass production.
International Obesity Day
This global initiative is aimed at fighting one of the biggest problems of our time. Obesity has long ceased to be just an aesthetic or individual issue – it affects the quality of life of millions of people and creates a huge burden on health care systems around the world. On this day, we remember how important it is to lead a healthy lifestyle, maintain a balanced diet, be physically active and understand the impact of our daily habits on the body.
The importance of this day lies not only in raising awareness about the risks of obesity, but also in motivating action. This can be a moment to review your own lifestyle: add more vegetables to your diet, start walking instead of using transport, try new types of activity that bring joy. Every step counts.
International Obesity Day also calls for change at the societal level. This is a reminder to governments and organizations of the need to support programs aimed at obesity prevention, access to healthy food and the creation of conditions for an active lifestyle.
Interesting facts
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of overweight and obese people in the world has doubled since 1980. Currently, more than 2 billion people are overweight, which is almost a third of the global population.
Obesity is one of the major risk factors for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and even certain cancers. In addition to physical effects, it also affects mental health, causing depression and anxiety.
Obesity is no longer a problem of rich countries only. It is increasingly common in middle- and low-income countries, where access to healthy food is limited and cheap, high-calorie foods dominate the diet.
Special attention in the fight against obesity is given to children, because the number of cases of childhood obesity is constantly increasing. In 2020, more than 39 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese.
The day aims to raise awareness of healthy eating, the importance of physical activity and understanding the impact of lifestyle on health. Educational programs, master classes, open lectures and trainings are held.
Experts emphasize that even 30 minutes of moderate physical activity per day can significantly reduce the risk of obesity. This day promotes an active lifestyle, visiting sports sections and outdoor activities.
Several countries, such as Japan and Norway, have made significant progress in reducing obesity rates through comprehensive programs that include educational campaigns, regulation of junk food advertising, and access to healthy foods.
Obesity is not only a health problem, but also an economic one. Treatment of associated diseases places a significant burden on healthcare systems, while prevention can significantly reduce these costs.
World Olive Tree Day
This day was started by UNESCO to draw attention to the importance of this symbolic tree and its significance for the culture, history, ecology and economy of many countries. The olive tree is one of the oldest cultural symbols of mankind, representing peace, wisdom and endurance. Its fruits and oil are of great importance in cooking, medicine and religious traditions. This day reminds of the need to protect this valuable plant and promote its sustainable use.
World Olive Day is an opportunity to highlight the importance of olive groves as a key natural resource that supports biodiversity. This is also the time to promote the traditional production of olive oil, which is the basis of the Mediterranean diet, recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. Olive trees have adapted to harsh climatic conditions and demonstrate an example of resilience that is a source of inspiration for mankind.
Interesting facts
The olive tree is one of the oldest cultivated trees in the world. It has been cultivated for over 6,000 years and is an integral part of the Mediterranean culture.
The symbolism of the olive branch is mentioned in many religions and cultural traditions, particularly as a sign of peace, hope and harmony.
Olive oil is considered “liquid gold” due to its valuable health properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
There are long-lived trees: some olive trees are over 2,000 years old and still bear fruit.
The main producers of olive oil are Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey, which provide more than 70% of the world production.
Historical events on this day
In 1890 in Borjomi, Georgia, industrial bottling of mineral water began, which became popular due to its healing properties and is still considered one of the symbols of the region. In 1901, students in Lviv raised a wave of protests, demanding the creation of a Ukrainian university, which became a significant event in the struggle for national rights of Ukrainians.
In 1917 in Kyiv, at a meeting of the General Secretariat, the statute of the “Free Cossacks” was approved, and also a decision was made to create a commission for border protection and demobilization committees under the General Secretariat of Internal Affairs. The very next year, in 1918, the Council of People’s Commissars of Soviet Russia adopted a Decree on recognition of scientific, literary, musical and artistic works as national property, which became an important step in the development of culture and education.
In 1944 In Mukachevo, the 1st Congress of People’s Committees took place, at which a manifesto was announced on the withdrawal of Transcarpathia from Slovakia and reunification with Soviet Ukraine. This event was the culmination of many years of aspirations of Transcarpathian Ukrainians to return to the Ukrainian statehood. The manifesto also announced the withdrawal of Transcarpathia from Czechoslovakia, emphasizing the will of the local population to unite with the rest of the Ukrainian lands. The decision of the congress was supported by the Soviet Union, and later it was confirmed at the international level. This event became a landmark in the history of the region, strengthening ties between Transcarpathia and the rest of Ukraine.
November 26, 1965 France has become the third country in the world to launch its own artificial satellite into space, Asterix, named after the popular comic book hero. The launch was carried out using a Diamant A launch vehicle from the Hammagir Cosmodrome, located in the Sahara desert (at that time still on the territory of Algeria). This event marked the entry of France into the international arena of space research, becoming an important step in its scientific and technical development. Asterix remained in orbit as a symbol of French aerospace achievements, and although it is no longer operational, its presence in space is a testament to France’s technological prowess at the time.
In 1966 in French Brittany, President Charles de Gaulle inaugurated the world’s first tidal power plant, which became a pioneering example of the use of natural resources. In 1970, Baro, Guadeloupe, experienced a record-breaking downpour of 38.10 mm of rain in one minute, which went down in meteorological history as a natural phenomenon that is difficult to repeat. In 1976, the Catholic Church of Italy decided to renounce the status of Catholicism as the state religion, taking a step towards the country’s secularism. In 1977, a monument to the first printer Ivan Fedorov was opened in Lviv. Sculptors V. N. Borysenko and V. M. Podolsky created a monument that emphasized the importance of Fedorov in the development of book printing in Ukrainian lands.
November 26, 1976 The Microsoft trademark was officially registered in the District Secretariat of the State of New Mexico. The company was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, who at that time were already actively working on the creation of software for personal computers. The name “Microsoft” comes from the combination of the words “microcomputer” and “software”, which reflected the main purpose of the company. This legal step became an important milestone in the formation of the future techno-giant, which later became one of the most influential companies in the world. The registration of the Microsoft brand laid the foundation for its further success in the global software and technology market.
In 1988 the Soyuz TM-7 spacecraft was launched with an international crew, which included Soviet cosmonauts Oleksandr Volkov and Sergey Krikalyov, as well as French astronaut Jean-Louis Chretien. This launch became an important moment in the cooperation of various countries in the field of space exploration.
November 26, 1837, according to one of the versions, Lucien Olivier was born in France or Belgium – a legendary cook who became famous thanks to the creation of the recipe for the famous “winter salad”, which was later named in his honor. In adulthood, Olivier worked in Moscow, where he was the owner of the prestigious Hermitage restaurant. More than 60 cooks worked in the kitchen of this institution, and its financial turnover, according to rumors, was equal to the budget of a small city. It was in the “Hermitage” that Lucien Olivier invented the salad, which became one of the symbols of the New Year’s table. However, the true recipe of this culinary masterpiece has remained a mystery.
Volodymyr Gilyarovsky wrote in his book that the dinners prepared by the French chef Olivier were considered chic, and the salad he created remained incomprehensible to gourmets. No matter how they tried to repeat it, the result was always different from the original. There is a legend that Lucien Olivier took the secret of his salad to his grave. Only the main ingredients are known, including grouse, potatoes, fresh cucumbers, capers, olives and a special sauce. The original recipe was so complex and refined that it left room for numerous variations.
One of the oldest salad recipes, published in the magazine “Our Food” in 1894, described the following: grouse should be fried, cooled and cut into small pieces, add boiled potatoes, fresh cucumbers, capers and olives. All this is mixed and poured with a sauce based on Provençal soy sauce “Kabul”. The salad was decorated with crab necks, lettuce leaves and meat broth jelly (lanspike). Another description included cooked fillets of grouse and partridge, lobster tails, calf’s tongue and even black caviar as the centerpiece of the composition.
The original “Olivier salad” was a dish for the rich, but over time it was transformed into a more democratic “Capital salad”, the recipe of which was adapted in Soviet times. High-end ingredients such as caviar, lobster and grouse have been replaced with green peas, sausage or chicken. The popularity of the salad has grown, and it has become an integral part of the New Year’s table for millions of people.
Lucien Olivier died in Yalta on November 14, 1883 at the age of 45, according to one version, from a heart defect. His name and invention have gone down in culinary history, and the salad itself remains an example of an immortal recipe that inspires chefs around the world.
November 26, 1998 the first citizen of independent Ukraine to be awarded the title of “Hero of Ukraine” with the award of the Order of the State was the outstanding scientist and public figure Boris Yevhenovich Paton. This high title was awarded to him for his outstanding contribution to the development of science, technology and strengthening of Ukraine’s international authority. Boris Paton was not only one of the most famous scientists of our time, but also a symbol of the academic heritage that combined the achievements of the Soviet era and the new history of independent Ukraine.
Boris Paton is an academician of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, a two-time Hero of Socialist Labor, an honored inventor of the USSR, a laureate of numerous prestigious awards: the Lenin Prize, the Stalin Prize of the third degree, the prize of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, as well as two State Prizes of Ukraine. His name is associated with a number of fundamental research and practical developments in welding, materials science and other engineering disciplines. Paton made an invaluable contribution to the introduction of the latest technologies in industry, and his works had a huge impact on the development of the aviation, space and shipbuilding industries.
As a long-term head of the Electric Welding Institute named after E. AT. Paton, Borys Paton remained a key figure in Ukrainian science, even in the difficult periods of transformation after independence. His scientific achievements and organizational activities became an example for many generations of scientists.
Awarding the title “Hero of Ukraine” became a symbol of recognition of Boris Paton’s merits at the highest state level. This was a confirmation that his life and work were devoted not only to science, but also to the development of the Ukrainian state and its authority on the world stage.
November 26, 2018 the decree of the President of Ukraine No. 393 introduced martial law in ten regions of the country: Vinnytsia, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, as well as in Donetsk, Zaporizhia, Kherson regions and internal waters of Ukraine in the Azov-Kerch region. This decision was taken in response to the growing threat from the Russian Federation after the incident in the Kerch Strait.
On December 26, at a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), President Petro Poroshenko announced that he would not initiate the extension of martial law. Despite this, he admitted that the security situation has not changed significantly, and noted: “I emphasize, the Russian threat has not disappeared.” At the same time, the president noted the positive consequences of martial law: in the regions where it was introduced, the number of crimes decreased by 26%, and the national currency, the hryvnia, strengthened.
This period became an important stage for strengthening the country’s defense capabilities, mobilizing resources and strengthening control over public order in strategically important regions.
