October 6 is celebrated in Ukraine as the Day of Territorial Defense and the Day of Education Workers or Teacher’s Day, and in the world it is World Habitat Day.
On October 6, 1459, the German scientist, geographer and traveler Martin Beheim was born in Lisbon, known as the creator of the oldest surviving large-scale model of the Earth – the “Earth apple” (globe).
On October 6, 1889, during the World Exhibition in Paris, the “Moulin Rouge” cabaret was opened, which made the cancan a world-famous dance.
Territorial Defense Day
This is a holiday of one of the youngest units of the Ukrainian military forces, created in 2022. During the first month of Russia’s full-scale aggression, more than 110,000 volunteers joined the ranks of the TRO. The Territorial Defense, together with regular units of the Armed Forces, took an active part in the liberation of Kyiv and the northern regions from the Russian occupiers. Today, different people are standing side by side on the front line: doctors of science, farmers, musicians, people from Aitiv. Ukrainians, who had never held a weapon before, are now demonstrating their resilience and combat effectiveness on the battlefield.
September 30, 2020 “Taking into account the importance of territorial defense in ensuring the defense capability and territorial integrity of Ukraine, the role of the components of the security and defense sector and other entities involved in the performance of territorial defense tasks, as well as for the purpose of further development of modern military traditions”, President of Ukraine signed Decree No. 417/2020 “On the Day of Territorial Defense of Ukraine”. The holiday was established and is now celebrated annually on the first Sunday of October.
Interesting facts
Territorial defense is an integral part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but its participants are often ordinary citizens with or without military experience. This makes it possible to quickly attract resources to protect territories.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, territorial defense has played a critical role in ensuring regional security. Many of its fighters took part in the defense of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and other cities.
Terrodefense units are organized at the community level, which allows them to be flexible and quickly respond to threats. They not only protect territories, but also engage in intelligence and logistics.
Before the start of the war in 2022, the territorial defense numbered several thousand people. However, after the mobilization measures, the number of fighters increased dramatically, reaching tens of thousands of people throughout the country.
Many volunteers receive basic military training and combat survival skills. This allows even those who had no experience to operate effectively in the combat zone.
In addition to combat missions, ground-defense fighters are engaged in the protection of important infrastructure facilities, such as bridges, power plants and hospitals, which reduces the risks of sabotage or destruction.
Day of education workers or Teacher’s Day
This holiday, which is celebrated every year on the first Sunday of October, was established by the Decree of the President of Ukraine dated September 11, 1994 and is aimed at honoring the important role of teachers and educators in the development of Ukrainian society.
Interesting facts
Although the Day of Education Workers in Ukraine has a national status, it has its roots in the international World Teacher’s Day, which was founded by UNESCO in 1994 and is celebrated on October 5 all over the world.
In schools and educational institutions of Ukraine, celebrations take place on the eve of the official date – usually on Friday or Saturday. Students organize concerts, plays and other events to welcome teachers.
This is a day when special gratitude is expressed to educators for their contribution to the education of new generations. Many students give flowers and cards to show respect and appreciation for hard work.
In Ukraine, the teacher’s role is not only pedagogical, but also social. Teachers help shape the values and consciousness of young people, especially in the context of educating patriotism and social responsibility.
In many regions of Ukraine, contests for the title “Best Teacher of the Year” are held, where the most outstanding teachers who have achieved significant results in their professional activities are recognized.
World Habitat Day or Habitat Day
This holiday was approved in 1979 as part of the Convention on the Protection of Wild Flora and Fauna and Habitats, which aims to protect the diversity of species and their natural habitats.
Interesting facts
Habitat Day was established as part of the international Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention. This document aims to protect migratory animal species whose habitats are often threatened by human activities.
One of the key factors threatening the habitats of many species is climate change. Rising global temperatures, melting glaciers and disappearing forests are reducing the areas suitable for many animals to live.
Habitat Protection Day reminds us of the importance of preserving biodiversity, because it is thanks to various ecosystems that the balance in nature is maintained. Forests, lakes, rivers, oceans are not only a home for animals, but also sources of oxygen and clean water for mankind.
One of the priorities of this day is to draw attention to the problem of the disappearance of animal migration routes. Infrastructure projects, such as the construction of roads or dams, often disrupt natural migration routes, which negatively affects species populations.
In addition to preserving habitats, it is also important to focus on restoring ecosystems that have already been destroyed. This can include restoring forests, restoring wetlands, and improving water quality in rivers and lakes.
Historical events on this day
1648 – The Cossack-peasant army led by Bohdan Khmelnytsky began a siege of Lviv. It was part of the Liberation War of the Ukrainian people against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, aimed at gaining the independence of Ukraine. The siege lasted until the signing of the peace agreement, but had a significant effect on the morale of the rebels and their further offensive.
1701 year – The Kyiv-Mohyla college was granted the status of an academy by decree of the Russian Tsar Peter I. This gave the institution more autonomy and increased its prestige. The Kyiv-Mohyla Academy has become an important center of science, culture and education not only for Ukraine, but also for the entire Orthodox world.
1768 – The Russian-Turkish war began between the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire, which ended in 1774 with the signing of the Kyuchuk-Kainardzhii Peace. As a result of this treaty, Russia received the right of free access to the Black Sea, which significantly changed the geopolitical situation in the region and strengthened the position of the Russian Empire.
1829 – The first trial run of the steam locomotive “Rocket”, built by the English inventor George Stephenson, took place on the route from Manchester to Liverpool. This event is considered the beginning of the era of railway transport, which led to significant changes in industry, commerce and the movement of people around the world.
1848 – A popular uprising began in Vienna, which grew into the revolution of 1848-1849. This movement was part of a wave of European revolutions that arose due to socio-economic difficulties, the desire for national independence and democratic changes. Although the revolution was defeated, it influenced further social and political processes in the Austrian Empire.
1927 – The premiere of the first sound film “The Jazz Singer” took place in New York. This event was a turning point in the history of cinema, marking the end of the silent film era and opening up new opportunities for the development of films with synchronized sound.
1944 – Troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front and units of the 1st Czechoslovak Army Corps captured the Dukel pass, which marked the beginning of Czechoslovakia’s liberation from Nazi occupation. It was an important operation on the Eastern Front of the Second World War, which contributed to the liberation of Central Europe.
1948 – One of the strongest earthquakes in world history occurred in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan. It led to destruction on a huge scale and caused significant human casualties. Today in Turkmenistan, this day is celebrated as Memorial Day, honoring the memory of those killed in this tragedy.
1973 year – Egypt and Syria’s attack on Israel, which started the October War (also known as the Doomsday War), lasted 18 days. The war was sparked by Arab countries’ desire to regain control of territories lost during the 1967 Six-Day War. The conflict had significant political and geopolitical consequences for the region.
2007 – Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan concluded an agreement on the creation of a single customs territory and the formation of the Customs Union. This agreement laid the foundation for the integration of the economies of the three countries, aimed at creating a single market and simplifying customs control, which became an important step in the development of regional cooperation in the post-Soviet space.
2016 year – Researchers from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (USA) presented a working transistor with a size of 1 nanometer (nm). This achievement was a significant breakthrough in the field of nanotechnology, opening new perspectives for the development of microelectronics, increasing the speed and efficiency of computer processors.
The birthday of Martin Beheim, the creator of the globe
On October 6, 1459, the German scientist, geographer and traveler Martin Beheim, known as the creator of the oldest surviving large-scale model of the Earth, was born in Lisbon. He called his work “Earth apple”. The term “globe” appeared later. Beheim’s model, with a diameter of 54 centimeters, depicted the Earth’s surface based on Ptolemy’s maps. America and Antarctica are not on it, and latitude and longitude according to modern methods are not indicated. However, there is the equator, meridians, tropics, signs of the zodiac, and brief descriptions of various countries with images of their inhabitants.
On Beheim’s globe, you can also find Armenia with Mount Ararat and Noah’s Ark, the round Caspian Sea, Africa, where people in the north look like Europeans, and black people are depicted in the south. He also depicted the then discovered islands of Zanzibar and Madagascar. Hindustan is represented on his map as the island of Taprobana. The entire north of Europe and Siberia were partially flooded and almost deserted. Japan on the map was replaced by the island of Chipangu. Near the North Pole, Beheim depicted Hyperborea, an archipelago of four islands that he believed was connected to the mainland.
Interestingly, the oldest globe depicting America was created from two halves of an ostrich egg. Examination showed that this globe was engraved around 1500, before the discoveries of Columbus. There is also the famous Hitler globe, which existed in two versions: for state leaders and for industrialists. The giant globe was commissioned for Hitler’s headquarters in the Reich Chancellery by architect Albert Speer. It was supposed to symbolize Hitler’s dreams of a world under his control, but in reality it was just a model of Earth.
In 1987, the largest globe in the world called the “Globe of Peace” was created. It weighs 30 tons, has a diameter of 30 meters and accommodates three levels inside for 600 people.
Opening of the “Moulin Rouge” cabaret
On October 6, 1889, during the World Exhibition in Paris, and in honor of the completion of the Eiffel Tower, the Spanish entrepreneur and inventor of the tote, Joseph Oller, together with his French companion Charles Zidler, invited Parisians to the opening of the new Moulin Rouge cabaret on the Place Blanche. The name of the cabaret was given by a wooden mill wheel with red wings, created by decorator Leon-Adolphe Villet, located in the red light district. The owners called the institution the “First Palace of Women” and the temple of music and dance.
It is interesting that at that time this area was exempted from taxes on alcohol. There were about 30 mills in the district, but only one of them, the red one, did not grind grain. The word “cabaret” comes from the Dutch language and means a small room for drinking alcoholic beverages. Over time, this word began to be associated with a cozy, warm and friendly atmosphere, where you can have fun while feeling the holiday.
One of the main highlights of the institution was the famous kankan, a dance that used to be called chahut. Both words are of French origin: “cancan” means “gossip” or “scandal”, that is, it was a “scandalous dance”. It was “Moulin Rouge” that made cancan world famous. In addition, the cabaret set one of its world records – the largest number of leg swings during the dance. Although the dance existed before, it was in Paris that women’s laughter and screams were added to it, which made it even more spectacular. It is interesting that at first the cankan was performed by men, later by women, then by couples, and the final choice fell on the female performance.
In addition to dancing, cabaret guests were entertained with exotic numbers. For example, Joseph Puyol, known as the “professional fart”, was one of the most popular artists in Europe before the First World War. He surprised audiences with performances such as blowing out candles, playing the French national anthem on the flute, and imitating the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, which lasted more than five minutes and was usually the grand finale of his shows.
“Moulin Rouge” is one of the largest consumers of champagne in the world, its visitors drink about 240,000 bottles a year.
During the entire existence of the cabaret, it went on tour to London only once, in 1981, especially for Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain.
Many famous artists performed in the cabaret, including Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli, Edith Piaf, Elton John, Ella Fitzgerald, Charles Aznavour and others.
And another interesting detail: cabaret artists have never performed striptease.
