September 7 is celebrated in Ukraine as the Day of Military Intelligence, the Day of eSports, and in the world – the International Day of Police Cooperation, the Day of the Foundation of Google.
Day of military intelligence
On September 7, the professional holiday of military intelligence officers is celebrated in Ukraine, which, although not nationwide, has a special significance for defenders working in the field of military intelligence. This holiday has a departmental nature and is an important recognition of the difficult and dangerous work of those who collect and analyze information about the enemy, providing a strategic advantage for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The holiday was started to honor the contribution of intelligence officers to ensuring the national security of Ukraine. Military intelligence collects information about potential threats, both on the territory of Ukraine and beyond, using a variety of methods — from analytical work to special operations.
Intelligence is one of the key elements of the military strategy of any state. Ukrainian intelligence services are actively involved in the defense of the country during modern military operations, especially after 2014 and the beginning of a full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. Their work helps determine the enemy’s intentions, find vulnerabilities in the enemy’s military infrastructure, and reduce risks for the Ukrainian military during combat operations.
Interesting facts
Military intelligence in Ukraine actively uses modern technologies, in particular drones, satellite images and cyber technologies to gather information. This allows you to accurately assess the situation on the battlefield and predict possible threats.
Famous examples of successful reconnaissance operations include the disabling of critical enemy infrastructure and the destruction of critical strategic facilities through pinpoint strikes coordinated on the basis of intelligence gathered.
Military scouts often remain “invisible” to the public due to the nature of their work, but it is thanks to them that many combat operations of the Armed Forces are successful. Some of them, like Denys Prokopenko, became symbols of courage and patriotism.
Ukrainian military intelligence officers undergo complex and multi-level training, which includes both physical and analytical training, because they need to quickly assess the situation, respond to threats and coordinate operations.
Day of eSports in Ukraine
eSports Day is a holiday that celebrates the development and popularization of eSports as a serious discipline among youth and adults. Although eSports received official recognition in Ukraine only recently, its importance for the cultural and sports life of the country is constantly growing. E-sports was recognized as an official sport in Ukraine in September 2020, which was an important step for the development of this industry.
Cybersports, or video game competitions at a professional level, began to actively develop in Ukraine since the 2000s. However, the recognition of eSports at the state level has opened up new opportunities for infrastructure development, training of players and organization of large tournaments.
Ukrainian e-sportsmen have long held leading positions in the world, including teams and players in games such as Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and League of Legends. They win awards at international tournaments, and some have become real icons for the youth.
Interesting facts
Ukraine became one of the first countries in the world to officially recognize eSports as a sport, which gives eSportsmen the right to professional training and support at the state level.
One of the most well-known teams is Natus Vincere (Na’Vi), which gained worldwide fame by winning numerous international tournaments in Counter-Strike and Dota 2. Their victory at The International 2011 in Dota 2 was a historic event.
Large esports events such as WePlay Esports and other local and international tournaments are regularly held in Ukraine. A huge number of young people participate in competitions and actively develop e-sports culture.
The recognition of eSports creates new opportunities for the development of young talents in Ukraine. The state, together with private companies, begins to invest in the development of this industry, e-sports academies, schools and clubs are opened.
International Day of Police Cooperation
September 7 marks the International Day of Police Cooperation, a holiday that promotes greater cooperation between the police of different countries to fight crime and maintain security. The day is an opportunity to highlight the importance of global police cooperation, especially in the face of growing international criminal threats such as human trafficking, terrorism and cybercrime.
Interesting facts
The Ukrainian police is an active participant in international cooperation, in particular in the framework of information exchange with Interpol and Europol, which contributes to the effective fight against crime in the region.
Europol is an agency of the European Union that specializes in fighting crimes of an international nature, such as drug trafficking, human trafficking and cybercrime. His work is especially important in the conditions of the visa-free regime in Europe.
Technology in policing: Thanks to modern technologies such as artificial intelligence and data analytics, international police cooperation is becoming even more effective. For example, big data analysis helps identify suspects faster and more accurately.
Interpol is the largest international organization of police cooperation, founded in 1923, which includes 195 countries. The main task of Interpol is to coordinate the efforts of various states to investigate international crimes.
The creation of Interpol began with an unforeseen event: in 1914, due to the romantic relationship of Prince Albert I of Monaco with a young German woman, the family jewels were stolen. This situation so outraged the prince that he decided to organize a meeting of detectives from all over the world, calling it the First International Congress of Criminal Police Officers. At this meeting, Albert I presented a plan for the creation of a special service to fight international crime, in particular, to record criminal data and extradite criminals.
The Congress gathered 188 delegates from 24 countries, among whom there were three women. A number of recommendations were adopted to create a database on international crimes and speed up extradition procedures. However, it was not possible to implement the ideas at that time due to the beginning of the First World War.
Johann Schober, the head of the Austrian police, returned to this idea already in 1923, who initiated a new meeting. He sent more than 300 invitations, and on September 3, 1923, 138 delegates from 17 countries gathered at the Congress in Vienna. It is interesting that the representative of China arrived when the event had already ended, and the Principality of Monaco, which actually gave impetus to the creation of Interpol, did not send a delegate. The first president of the organization was Johann Schober, who held this position until his death in 1932.
Shober was known for his anti-communist views and a tough approach to law and order. He never invited the Soviet Union to participate in Interpol, and was noted for his brutal suppression of protests in Vienna in 1927, when 86 people, including women and children, died. After the annexation of Austria, Interpol was headed by Nazis, including Reinhard Heydrich and Ernst Kaltenbrunner.
After the Second World War in 1946, the management of the organization changed, and the new head became Inspector General of Belgium F. Louvage. The headquarters was moved to France, and in 1949 Interpol received consultative status at the United Nations.
Interpol, officially called the International Criminal Police Organization since 1956, unites national law enforcement agencies to fight crime. The organization’s headquarters are located in Lyon, France, and its charter prohibits interference in political, military, religious, and racial matters (Article 3 of the Charter). Today, Interpol unites 194 states, which makes it the second international organization with the largest number of participating countries after the UN.
Throughout its history, Interpol has repeatedly fallen into scandals related to its leadership. The loudest cases were during the Second World War, when it was headed by high-ranking SS officials.
Google’s founding day
On September 7, 1998, two Stanford University students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, founded Google. It started as a simple search engine, but over time it has turned into one of the largest technology corporations in the world. This day has become a landmark for the entire IT industry.
Interesting facts
Google was originally called “BackRub” because the main purpose was to track “backlinks” to evaluate the popularity of web pages.
PageRank, a unique ranking algorithm developed by Page and Brin, has become a key factor in Google’s success. It evaluates the importance of pages based on the number and quality of links to them.
Garage – Google’s first office was located in a garage in Menlo Park, California. The legend of starting a business in a garage has become part of popular culture.
Google Doodles — the company creates special logos to celebrate events and memorable dates. The first such “doodle” appeared in 1998, and was dedicated to the Burning Man festival.
Google has grown into a technological giant – today Google is not only engaged in search, but also develops products in the fields of artificial intelligence, smartphones, cloud technologies and even autonomous cars.
Historical events on this day
70 – the Romans captured and destroyed Jerusalem
One of the most tragic events for the Jewish people occurred in AD 70, when the troops of the Roman Empire captured and destroyed Jerusalem. This was the culmination of the Great Jewish Revolt against Roman rule, which lasted several years. The fall of Jerusalem led to significant losses for the Jews and changed the religious and political situation in the region.
1664 – the British captured New Amsterdam
On September 7, 1664, English troops captured the Dutch city of New Amsterdam on the territory of modern America. Later, this city was renamed New York, and it became an important political and economic center of the United States. The capture of the city took place without major fighting, and the Dutch peacefully handed over power to the British.
1822 – independence of Brazil
On September 7, 1822, Prince Pedro proclaimed the independence of Brazil from Portugal, which marked the beginning of a new era in the country’s history. Independence was achieved relatively peacefully, and Brazil later became one of the leading nations in Latin America. This became an important step in the expansion of the struggle for independence throughout the world.
1892 — the first professional boxing match in the USA
On September 7, 1892, the first professional boxing match took place in the United States under modern rules, where boxing gloves were used and the rounds lasted three minutes. This fight became a landmark event for the development of professional boxing, laying the foundations for the modern sport.
1911 — the arrest of Guillaume Apollinaire
The French poet and avant-garde artist Guillaume Apollinaire was unjustly imprisoned on September 7, 1911, on suspicion of stealing the world-famous Mona Lisa painting from the Louvre. Although Apollinaire was acquitted a few days later, the story became part of his biography, adding to the mystique surrounding his personality.
1994 — the first official match of the Ukrainian national football team
On September 7, 1994, the Ukrainian national football team played its first official match at the Kyiv stadium, which took place as part of the qualifying round for the 1996 European Championship. Unfortunately, the Ukrainians lost to the Lithuanian team with a score of 0:2, but this match became an important stage in the formation of the national football team.
1996 — the attempt on Tupac Shakur
On September 7, 1996, a tragedy occurred in Las Vegas: rapper Tupac Shakur was seriously injured during a shooting. This event marked the beginning of the end of the life of one of the most influential artists in hip-hop. Tupac died on September 13, causing a great stir and leaving unsolved questions about his murder.
September 7, 1726 François-Andre Philidor was born in France, the strongest chess player of the 18th century and the author of the first chess guide. His contribution to the development of this ancient game was so significant that he became one of the most prominent chess theorists of his time.
Even as a child, Philidor showed remarkable abilities. At the age of six, he began performing in the royal choir at the court of Louis XV. Although the performances of the choristers were a favorite of the king, he was often late, and the boys, while waiting, played chess to pass the time. It was at this time that François-André became interested in the game, which would later become his life’s work.
Philidor became the author of revolutionary ideas in chess that influenced the development of the game for decades to come. He developed tactics for the promotion of pedestrian chains and emphasized the importance of the pedestrian center. One of his key quotes was:
- “Pawns are the soul of chess. They create attack and defense, and it is on their correct or incorrect placement that the game is won or lost.”
- The German poet Johann Wolfgang Goethe later added to Philidor’s point, saying:
- “Expressing an opinion is like moving a pawn in chess: a pawn can be lost, but the game begins and can be won. And most importantly, a pawn in smart hands can become a queen!”.
One of the most famous chess strategies that bears his name is Philidor’s Defense. This opening includes the moves: 1.e4 e5 2.Kf3 Kc6 3.Сb5 and belongs to the category of semi-open games, where the pieces are as active as possible, and the defense involves counter-attacking play.
Philidor also became known for his impressive chess achievements. In 1783, he shocked the chess world when he played three simultaneous games “blindly” using only the black pieces. This achievement was incredible for its time.
In addition to chess, Philidor was a talented musician and composer, which further emphasized his versatility. He became one of the founders of the French comic opera and served as a court musician.
In 1792, during the French Revolution, Philidor was forced to flee to England because of his connections with the monarchy, as his name was included in the list of persons whom the National Convention decided to expel from the country. He died on August 31, 1795, just a few days before his relatives managed to obtain a pardon for him.
François-André Philidor left a deep mark in both chess and music, remaining one of the most prominent figures of his time.
