October 5 marks World Teacher’s Day, International Postman Day, World Ostomy Day and International Prostitution Day.
World Teacher’s Day
This holiday is celebrated annually on October 5 at the initiative of UNESCO, since 1994. It was created in order to draw attention to the importance of teachers in the education of future generations, to emphasize their contribution to the development of society and the need to ensure quality education. Also, this day is designed to draw attention to the problems of teachers and improve their working conditions, in particular through raising social standards, wages and providing professional support.
It is people of this profession who should be selected through the biggest competitions and tests. It is teachers who initiate the most important reforms. It is the people of this profession who should be paid the highest salaries, because their mistakes have the greatest impact on the lives of all of us. And it is the achievements of teachers that lead to the victories of the whole country!
Interesting facts
UNESCO declared this holiday in 1994 to commemorate the adoption of the recommendation “On the situation of teachers” at the intergovernmental conference in Paris on October 5, 1966. This document became key to defining the standards of educational work and protecting the rights of teachers at the international level.
Every year, UNESCO chooses a certain theme to celebrate this day. For example, the theme of 2023 was devoted to issues of innovation in education and the role of teachers in technological development.
According to UNESCO, the world will need 69 million new teachers by 2030 to achieve global education goals, including access to quality education for all.
One of the well-known charitable organizations once decided to make a ranking of countries according to the level of respect for the teaching profession:
- China.
- Malaysia.
- Taiwan.
Ukraine is not on this list, and this is a big mistake.
Teacher’s Day is celebrated in more than 100 countries of the world. Many of them hold special events, seminars and trainings for teachers on this day.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the war have exposed global problems in the education system, including the low level of preparation for distance learning. This problem is especially felt in developing countries.
A few wise aphorisms about teachers
- “A good teacher is one whose words do not differ from deeds.”
- “The educator himself must be what he wants to make the pupil.”
- “Wars are not won by generals, wars are won by school teachers and parish priests.”
- “To educate another, we must first educate ourselves.”
- “He who, turning to the past, is able to discover new things, is worthy to be a teacher.”
- “In ancient times, people studied in order to improve themselves. Today, they study to impress others.”
- “One should trust more those who teach, not those who command.”
- “A mediocre teacher tells. A good teacher explains. An outstanding teacher shows. A great teacher inspires.”
International Postman Day
This holiday is celebrated in honor of all postal workers who deliver mail, parcels and other important messages around the world every day. Postmen play a key role in ensuring communication and connection between people, especially in hard-to-reach regions or extreme weather conditions.
Interesting facts
Postal services have existed since ancient times. In ancient Egypt around 2400 BC. pharaohs used couriers to deliver important messages throughout the kingdom.
The Universal Postal Union (UPU), founded in 1874, provides coordination between the postal services of different countries, allowing letters and parcels to be delivered to any corner of the world.
During the war, postmen were often heroes without medals. They continued to deliver mail under fire and risk to their lives, providing communication between soldiers and their families.
With the advent of e-mail, the role of traditional postmen has changed somewhat, but they are still important for the delivery of parcels, especially in the era of active development of online commerce.
Remote corners of the Earth, such as islands or mountain villages, continue to depend on postmen, who often travel long distances by bicycle, boat or foot to deliver mail.
World Day of Ostomy Patients
The day is celebrated to support people living with a stoma, a special medical device used after bowel or bladder surgery. This day was created in order to raise public awareness of the problems and needs of ostomy patients, as well as to promote their social adaptation.
Interesting facts
According to estimates by the International Ostomy Organization (IOA), there are more than 3 million people living with a stoma in the world. Many of them lead an active social life thanks to modern means of care.
The first operations to create stomas were carried out in the 18th century. However, significant advances in surgical techniques and stoma care occurred in the 20th century, particularly during World War II.
Today, people with a stoma have access to a variety of stoma care products that provide a high quality of life and minimize discomfort.
Many ostomy patients face social isolation and problems accepting their new condition. Therefore, World Stoma Day is also aimed at destroying stereotypes and stigma around stomas.
International organizations such as the IOA are actively working to improve conditions for ostomy patients, including through educational programs for physicians and social initiatives.
International Anti-Prostitution Day
This day is celebrated to draw attention to the problem of prostitution, to protect the rights of women and men who have fallen into sexual slavery or become victims of human trafficking. This day was started by many public organizations and activists to raise public awareness of the negative aspects of prostitution, as well as to fight the causes that lead to this form of exploitation.
The main purpose of this day is to emphasize that prostitution is often associated with coercion, violence, poverty and violation of human rights. Many people who find themselves in a situation of prostitution are victims of human trafficking, criminal gangs or simply have no other options for survival.
Interesting facts
According to the UN, every year millions of people around the world become victims of human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. This is one of the most common forms of modern slavery.
Prostitution has different legal status in different countries. Some countries, such as the Netherlands and Germany, have legalized prostitution in an attempt to protect the rights of sex workers and reduce illegal activities. At the same time, other countries, for example, Sweden, have chosen a different approach – they criminalize customers, not the workers themselves.
Prostitution is often romanticized as a “profession of choice”, but most people in this field are forced to engage in it due to difficult life circumstances – poverty, addiction or violence. According to studies, more than 80% of sex workers want to leave this field, but cannot due to financial difficulties or threats from pimps.
Many international organizations work to help victims of prostitution find alternative ways of life, providing support in the form of education, employment and psychological assistance. Such initiatives are key to combating prostitution.
Some countries have introduced models that provide for the social rehabilitation of victims of prostitution and their integration into society. For example, in Sweden, the anti-prostitution program focuses on punishing clients rather than women, which is an important strategy in ending exploitation.
Historical events on this day
1143 – Treaty of Zamora: recognition of Portugal as a kingdom
On this day, the Treaty of Zamora was signed, which officially recognized the independence of Portugal from the Kingdom of León. Until then, Portugal was part of León, but the struggle for independence, which the Portuguese monarchs began, bore fruit. The treaty confirmed the status of Portugal as a separate kingdom, which became an important step in the formation of modern Portuguese statehood.
1502 – Christopher Columbus discovered Costa Rica
During his fourth voyage to America, Christopher Columbus discovered the shores of Costa Rica. Columbus hoped to find gold and riches there, as the local tribes wore gold jewelry. It is because of this that Columbus named the new land “Costa Rica”, which means “rich coast”. However, he never found great gold, but its discovery became an important milestone in the history of Central America.
1594 – the beginning of Severyn Nalivayko’s rebellion
On this day, the uprising led by Severyn Nalywaik began, which became one of the key peasant-Cossack uprisings against the Polish nobility. Nalivaiko and his supporters protested against the social and national oppression of the Ukrainian people. The uprising aimed to protect the rights of Cossacks and peasants and became part of the long struggle for the independence of Ukrainian lands.
1762 – the premiere of Christoph Glück’s opera in Vienna
The premiere of the opera by Christoph Glück, a German composer who is considered a reformer of the opera genre, took place in the Vienna Burgtheater. Glück sought to make the music more expressive, emphasizing the drama of the plot, which made a great contribution to the development of opera as a genre. His innovative approaches to musical art had a huge impact on the further development of European music.
1933 – dismissal of Les Kurbas from the “Berezil” theater
Les Kurbas, one of the most prominent Ukrainian theater directors, was fired from Kharkiv’s “Berezil” theater due to accusations of “nationalism”. This became part of political repression in Soviet Ukraine, where nationalist tendencies were interpreted as a threat to the communist government. Kurbas became a victim of Stalinist repressions, and his contribution to the development of Ukrainian theater was completely destroyed by the Soviet regime.
1939 – the end of the Polish-German war
The Polish-German war ended on October 5, 1939, when Nazi Germany finally occupied Poland. This was the beginning of the Second World War, which fundamentally changed the map of Europe and led to tragedies for millions of people. After the defeat of Poland, its territory was divided between the Third Reich and the Soviet Union.
1941 – the creation of the Ukrainian National Council in Kyiv
At the height of World War II, the Ukrainian National Council was created in Kyiv under the leadership of Mykola Velichkivskyi. The purpose of the Council was to represent the interests of the Ukrainian people in the conditions of Nazi occupation. It was one of the few political bodies that sought to protect the rights of Ukrainians and support their national interests during times of war.
1999 – disaster near Paddington station in London
One of the largest train disasters in the history of Great Britain occurred near Paddington station in London. Two trains collided, killing 31 people and injuring more than 500. The tragedy sparked a wave of reforms in Britain’s rail infrastructure, including improving safety and improving signaling systems.
2016 – the election of Antonio Guterres as the UN Secretary General
On October 5, 2016, the Portuguese António Guterres was elected as the new UN Secretary General. He became the ninth head of the United Nations and replaced Ban Ki-moon in this position. Guterres was previously the Prime Minister of Portugal and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Its main task was to strengthen peace, combat global problems, including climate change, and protect human rights in the world.
