Since the beginning of the year, the pace of the advance of Russian troops in Ukraine has decreased: British intelligence
On April 6, Geologist’s Day is celebrated in Ukraine, the world celebrates the International Day of Sports for Peace and Development, the World Table Tennis Day and the International Day of Asexuality. Also, this day in world and Ukrainian history is marked by a number of significant events that left a deep mark in politics, geography, technology and sports.
Geologist’s Day in Ukraine
Every year in Ukraine, on the first Sunday of April, a professional holiday of geological workers is celebrated – Geologist’s Day. This holiday was established by the Decree of the President of Ukraine in 1995 in recognition of the role of geologists in the exploration of the subsoil, the development of the mineral and raw material base, ensuring economic security and strategic independence of the state.
Historically, Geologist’s Day began to be celebrated in the Soviet period, starting in 1966, as a sign of respect for specialists who participated in major geological explorations of the post-war years. After the declaration of independence, Ukraine preserved this tradition, adapting it to new realities. Today, the holiday is a sign of respect for those who work in difficult field conditions, explore the structure of the earth’s crust, search for and evaluate mineral reserves, participate in the creation of cadastres and accompany large infrastructure projects.
Geology in Ukraine has a deep foundation. The territory of the country is rich in deposits of manganese, iron, titanium, coal, gas, granite, kaolin, quartzite, clay, salt and other resources. Geological exploration became the basis for the formation of entire industrial regions — from Kryvorizhye to Donbas. Geologists also play an important role in disaster prevention, landslides, earthquakes, groundwater conservation and geological heritage protection.
Interesting facts
In 2020, the Ukrainian State Geological Exploration Institute celebrated its 100th anniversary. This institution stands near the origins of geological science in Ukraine.
More than 95% of all deposits discovered in Ukraine were discovered thanks to the work of field geologists in the 20th century.
In the Carpathians, there are geological routes created on the basis of former scientific expeditions, which today have become tourist attractions – in particular, in the Skolivskyi Beskids and Rakhivskyi district.
One of the oldest geological museums in the country operates on the basis of Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University, where unique samples of minerals, fossils and maps are kept.
Geological expeditions are still active in the Azov regions, which are engaged in the search for new rare earth metals, in particular for the needs of the defense industry.
Ukraine is one of the ten countries with the largest reserves of manganese ores in the world – deposits in the Nikopol basin have been studied by geologists since the beginning of the 20th century.
The unique geological structure of the Ukrainian Shield, which covers a large part of central Ukraine, attracts the attention of scientists from all over the world and is the object of many years of research.
International Day of Sports for Peace and Development
This date was established by the UN General Assembly in 2013 at the initiative of the International Olympic Committee. The symbolic basis for choosing this day was the opening of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 in Athens.
The purpose of this day is to draw attention to how sport can contribute to building a peaceful society, social cohesion, equality, dialogue and development. UN documents repeatedly emphasize that sport is a universal language that knows no borders, race, gender or creed. Through sports, you can teach young people about fair play, teamwork, respect for rules, tolerance, and develop social skills that are important for building a peaceful coexistence.
On this day, government organizations, sports federations, schools, charities and the UN call for events dedicated to sport as a tool for peace and inclusion. These can be informal matches, lectures, sports festivals, outdoor training, solidarity actions and educational campaigns. What is important is not the level of competition itself, but the very gesture of drawing attention to peace through joint physical activity and cooperation.
Ukraine participates in the celebration of this date at the level of educational institutions, sports associations and public organizations. In the conditions of war, such initiatives become even more important: they support morale, unite communities, and build faith in a future without violence.
Interesting facts
This day is not a holiday of one organization – it is celebrated with the support of both the UN and the IOC, which emphasizes its global and inter-institutional character.
As part of the celebration of this day, a sports flash mob is held in New York every year near the UN headquarters, in which diplomats, schoolchildren, professional athletes and activists participate.
Famous athletes become ambassadors of peace, using their visibility to draw attention to conflicts, discrimination, the needs of refugees or people with disabilities.
In 2020-2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of sports in psychological recovery and maintenance of mental health was actively discussed within this day.
Some countries, notably Rwanda, have implemented large-scale national physical activity programs with an emphasis on post-conflict reconciliation, precisely based on the UN recommendations for sport.
In Afghan refugee camps, with the support of international humanitarian missions, sports games were organized for children who survived the trauma of the war, precisely on April 6, as a symbol of hope and recovery.
This day has its own theme every year. For example, in 2023, the UN called for a focus on women’s rights in sports, and in 2024, on supporting sports in the context of military conflicts.
World Table Tennis Day
This initiative was launched by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) in 2015 with the aim of popularizing the sport, attracting new players to the game and using tennis as a tool for social unity. Subsequently, the initiative was supported by UNESCO and other international sports organizations. The day coincides with the International Day of Sport for Peace and Development, which further highlights the symbolic importance of table tennis as a sport that easily unites people regardless of age, background or physical ability.
Table tennis is one of the most accessible sports. Its popularity is explained by simple rules, the ability to play indoors regardless of weather conditions, and a small amount of necessary equipment. It is played by more than 300 million people around the world, from amateurs to professionals.
Interesting facts
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the events of this day took place mainly online: thousands of people played virtual matches, participated in digital tournaments, shared videos of home training under the slogan “tennis anywhere”.
In 2021, the International Table Tennis Federation launched the global program “TT4All” – “Table Tennis for All”, aimed at promoting the game among vulnerable social groups.
The day has a specific theme every year. In 2023, the main focus was on the development of tennis among children in poor regions of Africa, and in 2024, on the participation of women in sports.
In many countries, on this day, the capitals hold symbolic matches in the open air: for example, in Paris, a tennis table was placed in the square in front of the city hall, and in Quito, matches were held in the subway.
Cuba, Iran, India and Nigeria are among the countries with the most events on this day, with hundreds of events in schools, community centers and outdoors.
In Sweden, one of the public organizations organized an inclusive tournament in which visually impaired people participated using balls with sound sensors.
In many cities, table tennis today becomes part of social activism: the game is combined with the themes of fighting domestic violence, racism, isolation of people with disabilities.
International Asexuality Day
This initiative was launched in 2021 by representatives of the asexual community from different countries to create a global space for support, awareness and visibility for people on the asexual spectrum. The date has become an important annual marker to fight prejudice, raise awareness of the diversity of sexual orientation and protect the rights of asexual people.
Asexuality is a sexual orientation that means no or very low level of sexual attraction to others. Asexual people can have romantic feelings, build partnerships, seek intimacy, but without a sexual component. The asexual spectrum also includes demisexuals, graysexuals, and people whose attraction arises under special emotional or social conditions.
International Asexuality Day focuses on four main areas: visibility, education, advocacy and celebration of diversity. On this day, online campaigns, thematic panels, personal testimonies, educational lectures, media publications and social media actions using the hashtag IAD (#InternationalAsexualityDay) take place in various countries. The goal is not only to convey basic knowledge about asexuality, but also to support those who often feel pressured or stigmatized because of their identity.
Interesting facts
International Asexuality Day was agreed at once by representatives of more than 20 countries — including Brazil, Spain, Great Britain, the Philippines, Canada, Germany and South Africa.
The asexual flag consists of four colors: black (asexuality), gray (graysexuality and demisexuality), white (allies and partners) and purple (community).
The first study that provided an empirical basis for defining asexuality as a separate orientation was conducted by the British sexologist Anthony Bogart in 2004. According to the results of his survey, approximately 1% of respondents did not feel sexual attraction.
The term “demisexuality” refers to sexual attraction only when there is a deep emotional connection—not the same as asexuality, but within the spectrum.
One of the most well-known resources for the asexual community, AVEN (Asexual Visibility and Education Network), created by David Jay in 2001, has become a basic information center for hundreds of thousands of users worldwide.
In 2023, the International Day of Asexuality was marked for the first time by the UN Human Rights Program, where a special online discussion was organized on the topic “Invisibility in politicians: asexuality and the right to dignity”.
Some countries have officially recognized asexuality as one of the forms of sexual orientation within the framework of anti-discrimination norms, including Canada and New Zealand.
Historical events on this day
1909 — American explorers Robert Peary and Matthew Henson, together with a group of Eskimos, reached the North Pole for the first time, completing one of the most famous expeditions in the history of Arctic exploration.
1917 — the All-Ukrainian National Congress, organized by the Central Council, began work in Kyiv. This forum became an important step in the process of formation of Ukrainian statehood in the conditions of the revolution.
1945 — a tragedy occurred in the village of Horayets (now Horaycsy, Poland), where units of the Polish Internal Security Corps carried out a mass murder of the local Ukrainian population. It was one of the most brutal episodes of the post-war anti-Polish-Ukrainian confrontation.
1992 — the foreign ministers of Russia, Ukraine, Romania and Moldova signed a joint declaration on a ceasefire in the Transnistrian region, trying to stop the armed conflict that broke out after the collapse of the USSR.
1992 — Microsoft Corporation presented a new version of its operating system — Windows 3.1. It became popular thanks to the support of TrueType fonts and an improved graphical interface.
1994 — a genocide began in Rwanda, which led to the mass extermination of the Tutsi people. The impetus for the mass killings was the downing of a plane with the presidents of Rwanda, Juvenal Gabyarimana, and Burundi, Cyprien Ntaryamira on board.
2005 — Jalal Talabani became the president of Iraq, becoming the first Kurd to hold this position. His election had symbolic significance for the post-Saddam system of the country.
2016 — a consultative referendum was held in the Netherlands, where the majority of citizens opposed the ratification of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union. The results did not have direct legal force, but became a political challenge for the European integration of Ukraine.
On April 6, 1896, the first modern Olympic Games started in Athens
This day marked the symbolic beginning of a new era in the history of sports — the international Olympic movement, revived at the initiative of the French public figure Baron Pierre de Coubertin. The Games were officially called the Games of the First Olympiad or the First International Olympic Games. Athens was not chosen as the venue by chance: it was here in ancient Greece that the tradition of sports competitions was born, which they sought to revive in the modern world.
The opening ceremony took place on April 6, 1896. The date had several levels of symbolism: on this day, Easter was celebrated simultaneously among Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants, and also – in Greece, Independence Day was celebrated. 80,000 spectators gathered in the stands of the Olympic Stadium, including almost the entire royal family: King George I, Queen Olga and their children. After the solemn speech of the head of the organizing committee, Crown Prince Constantine, King George I solemnly announced:
“I declare the first International Olympic Games in Athens open. Long live Greece. Long live her people.”
After that, 150 voices of the choir performed the Olympic anthem, written by Spiros Samaras with words by Kostis Palamas. It was this event that laid the foundation for two key traditions of the Olympic Games: the opening of the competition by the head of state and the performance of the Olympic anthem. At the same time, the parade of the participating countries, the lighting of the Olympic flame and the announcement of the Olympic oath – appeared later.
241 athletes from 14 countries took part in the first Games. Women were not allowed to participate. 43 sets of awards were drawn in 9 sports. The hosts, Greece, won the most medals: 46 (10 gold, 17 silver and 19 bronze). The second place was taken by the representatives of the USA with 20 awards (11+7+2), the third place was taken by the German team with 13 medals (6+5+2). Participants from Bulgaria, Chile and Sweden remained without awards.
The first Olympic champion in modern history was James Connolly, a student from Boston, who won the triple jump competition with a result of 13 meters 71 centimeters. However, he went to the Olympics without permission from the university and was expelled for it. Today, a monument is erected in his honor in a park in the south of Boston – a figure at the moment of landing after the jump.
Mykola Serhiyevich Ritter, a native of Poltava Region, a native of Kyiv, participated in the Olympic Games on behalf of the Russian Empire. He resigned from the service to go to the Olympics and personally applied to compete in Greco-Roman wrestling, carbine shooting and rapier fencing. At the previous tests, he showed brilliant results: he shot well, defeated everyone in the fight. But on the eve of the competition, he lost his talisman – a medallion – and in the end did not perform.
After the Games, Ritter actively popularized the Olympic movement, he proposed to allow professionals to compete, to create a new category of athletes – “sports teachers”, as well as to establish an athletic committee for physical education of the population. His initiatives were ignored by officials, but they interested Pierre de Coubertin himself. At his invitation, Ritter took part in the II Olympic Congress in Le Havre in 1897 and joined several of its commissions.
The first official participant of the Olympic Games from the Russian Empire is Petro Antonovych Zakovorot, a peasant son from Kupyevakha, Kharkiv province. Conscripted into service in 1892, he showed considerable fencing skills. His talent was noticed by Frenchman Julien Michaud, a well-known coach. Zakovorot studied at the military sports academy in Budapest, won an international tournament and was included in the first delegation of the Russian Empire at the 1900 Olympics in Paris, where he took fifth place.
