On April 8, the entire world community celebrates International Roma Day. This holiday has truly become international, since the gypsies still, as indeed originally, do not have their own state; the entire planet Earth is their homeland. The gypsies even have a beautiful legend that explains this fact. It says that the Lord himself loved the Roma so much that he did not impose any specific territory on them to live, but instead gave them the whole world. In general, Gypsies are a collective name for more than eighty ethnic groups that are united by a common origin and necessarily adhere to all “Gypsy laws.” It was in order not to lose their unique culture, carried through centuries, to preserve it for posterity, in 1971, on April 8, the first ever World Gypsy Congress was held in the capital of Great Britain - London. Its significance is evidenced by the fact that delegates from 30 countries attended. Several decisions were developed at this congress. Firstly, the Roma recognized themselves as the only non-territorial nation, secondly, they adopted the national symbols of the Roma: the anthem and the flag, and thirdly, they decided to celebrate International Roma Day on April 8 every year. As part of this event, traditionally, numerous concerts, art festivals, film screenings, and meetings are held. Some representatives of this nationality carry a lighted candle through the streets on this day. But in general, this is a holiday not only for the Roma themselves, but also an opportunity for everyone who wants to get acquainted with the bright, cheerful, colorful culture of the Roma, their customs and traditions, and perhaps learn something. After all, the fact that, despite the absence of their own state, the Roma were able to preserve their identity and uniqueness certainly deserves deep respect.

With the Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of April 8, 1918, the creation of military commissariats began in the Soviet Republic. During the year, 7 military registration and enlistment offices were created in districts, 39 in provincial centers, 385 in districts and 7,000 in volosts. At that time, the tasks of the military registration and enlistment offices included: • registration of those liable for military service; • initial training in military affairs and conscription into the army, assistance in the implementation of the Decree on Universal Education. Currently, the main task is to improve the quality of pre-conscription training. With the collapse of the USSR, this direction was completely abandoned and forgotten. A wonderful subject - NVP (Initial Military Training) - is being removed from the school curriculum. The ideology of liberals about the absence of enemies in Russia leads to the complete destruction of the methodological, material, technical and personnel components of the NVP. Targeted influence on the younger generation has yielded bitter results - reluctance to serve in the army, physical underdevelopment, lack of moral values. We must pay tribute to the employees of the military registration and enlistment offices, who, despite the difficult times for the country and the army, did not forget about the honor of the uniform. They didn't sell it for tight packs, for a warm place. The officers did everything possible and impossible to preserve the institution of conscription, and the Russian army was provided with reinforcements. Modern commissariats are empowered to carry out the following tasks: • preparatory work and mobilization; • accounting for reserve and material and technical resources; • preparing young people for military service; • organizing conscription and training; • organizing admission to contract service. Military registration and enlistment office employees not only organize and conduct conscription campaigns. The military registration and enlistment offices are in charge of: registration and deregistration, registration of profile documentation, provision of legal support to military personnel, search for missing persons and burials of dead soldiers. In recent years, the attitude of the country's leadership towards conscription and military service in general has changed. The institution of contract service is developing, and the possibility of alternative service has become available. People reacted to the state’s attitude towards the army - every year the number of draft dodgers is decreasing, more and more conscripts are appearing who come to the military registration and enlistment offices without summons. The last few calls showed an excess of the number of people willing to serve over the planned figures. This makes it possible to select and more accurately distribute conscripts by branch of the military. Military registration and enlistment office employees constantly improve their skills. Employees of the power ministries conduct training camps, methodological classes and other specialized events. This work involves not only those responsible for conscription, but also professional selection specialists, doctors and representatives of administrations. Over the years, employees of military registration and enlistment offices have helped to discover and identify the remains of several hundred soldiers and officers who died in the Great Patriotic War. Patriotic work is being carried out in schools and universities, which gives hope for the complete restoration of the power of our armed forces. Congratulations to all employees of the country's military registration and enlistment offices on the holiday!

On April 8, Russia celebrates Animation Day. This is the day when there is a great reason to review all your favorite cartoons. It became possible thanks to an extraordinary event that happened more than 100 years ago... On April 8, 1912, for the first time in history, the general public was given the opportunity to see an animated film directed by Russian biologist Vladislav Starevich. Our first animated film (“Beautiful Lucanida”) told the world an extraordinary story about an unhappy love from the life of insects and was a parody of the plots of knightly romances. Starevich's puppet animation created a huge sensation not only in his native country, but also abroad. She was popular for many years. The film amazed viewers with its technique: it seemed to people that they were seeing on the screen not man-made models, but real location shootings of trained insects. Since the first animated premiere, the domestic school of animation has always occupied a strong position in the world art of this genre. Outstanding masters worked in this field, and the works they created became treasures that worthily adorn the collections of the golden fund of global animation. Modern Russian animation is rapidly developing and thriving. The techniques for creating domestic cartoons have improved and diversified in many ways. To emphasize how important this art is for the modern world, an April holiday was established. In 2015, an award ceremony called “Icarus” was also timed to coincide with it. It solemnly congratulates distinguished representatives of the country's specialized studios, as well as famous veterans of the genre, in various categories. On the day of the celebration of animation, many Russian cities hold interesting promotions and exciting events dedicated to domestic animation. The best works of Russian specialists are shown in cinemas, as well as little-known films that have never seen distribution before. The Day of Russian Animation is also a day of demonstration concerts, the brightest festivals, and interesting unique exhibitions. During this celebration, cartoon characters can “come out” of films and parade through the streets, giving smiles and good mood to those around them. The holiday pleases not only children, but also adults, giving them the opportunity to briefly plunge into the wonderful world of childhood, remember something long forgotten, perhaps very important for them...

Every year on April 8, Belarus celebrates a professional holiday - the Day of Employees of Military Commissariats of the Republic of Belarus. Despite the fact that this holiday began to be officially celebrated in the Republic only in 2003, which corresponds to the Order of the Minister of Defense of March 10, No. 175, its origins go back to Soviet times. Thus, by the Decree of the Soviet Government, dated April 8, 1918, local bodies for the formation of the Red Army were established, which were precisely called commissariats for military affairs. This is where the answer to the question about choosing a date comes from: April 8th. This body was created with the aim of preparing the population to serve compulsory military service. The commissariat is still the place where conscripts begin their service. In addition, the commissariats perform the function of performing defense tasks. The body performs such an important function not alone, but in cooperation with local executive and administrative authorities. Together they develop and implement plans for the possible mobilization of both human and transport resources on the territory of administrative-territorial units. Hence the close connection of military commissariats with the entire history of the development, creation and reorganization of the Armed Forces. In addition to performing the above functions, the military commissar is the executor of the work and social plan, since the majority of the population is still inextricably linked with the military process. Officers study the moral and business qualities of young men in order to prepare the latter to fulfill their duty to the Motherland. The commissariat also arranges conversations, in which it involves veterans of the Great Patriotic War, as well as law enforcement officials. It is impossible to imagine the activities of a military commissar without office work: sending and receiving postal correspondence, recording materials, preparing orders, ensuring secrecy. All this is also the responsibility of the authority. Caring for the country's defense capability is a priority at all times. The commissariats, being the beginning of the entire army, can rightfully be considered its rear. Therefore, one should not underestimate the responsibility and importance of the work performed by military registration and enlistment office employees.

April 8 is celebrated as International Feng Shui Day. In recent decades, the Taoist practice of symbolic exploration of space has become a real fashion trend. People in different countries build houses and arrange furniture inside according to the rules of Feng Shui, although few of them realize that we are not talking about simple principles of interior design, but about a deep philosophy based on the principle of the unity of man and nature. Feng Shui is an ancient Taoist practice that teaches a person to live in harmony with the world around him. "Feng" is translated as "winds", and "shui" - streams. The basis of this practice is maintaining balance in the exchange of energy between man and nature. This practice dates back more than 3,500 years. Europe was first introduced to Feng Shui by the famous sinologist Ernst Eitel, who lived and worked in China for a long time. He was a participant in a Christian mission in a foreign land. After his return, Eitel published a book entitled Feng Shui, or the Rudiments of Natural Science in China. Following Eitel, several other Sinologists published similar works, in which a lot of attention was paid to the study of Feng Shui. It should be noted that in the last century, Chinese practices were viewed with condescending ridicule in the West. This is easy to see even in the title of Eitel’s book, who called Feng Shui a “rudiment” - what our ancestors needed, and what continues to exist solely by inertia. You should also separate real Feng Shui from the practice that has become widespread in the West. Classical Feng Shui was deliberately simplified by Thomas Lin Yu in 1986. An American of Chinese origin taught its basics at US universities and created an esoteric version, which subsequently went to the masses. Thomas Lin Yu divided the space into zones of wealth, love, children, career and so on. According to esoteric Feng Shui, it is enough to place a special figurine in a certain area to activate it. You can also turn the bed and voila, life will miraculously improve immediately. In real feng shui, neither amulets nor talismans are used, and the direction of energy flows is determined individually for each individual place. The colors of objects and their shape have no effect on qi - the energy of life, which will be discussed further. What is harmony? In the understanding of the ancients, and many modern Chinese, it is a balance of energy between man and nature. Once upon a time, a state of harmony was natural for people. They did not demand much and felt happy at the same time. Over time, this balance began to break down. People began to build tall houses and isolate themselves from the outside world. This process took many centuries. And today we have skyscrapers that touch the skies. We have acquired a lot of smart gadgets. Everyone has a job, a family, a home, a lack of time and a rare vacation once a year. The connection with nature was lost. Man himself has created so many benefits, he already needs a lot, but he is no longer happy. Feng Shui was essentially developed to maintain balance when people began to lose this subtle connection with nature. This system arose from the teachings of Chinese philosophers of the Song Dynasty. Nature, in their understanding, was one living organism in which everything is interconnected. The breath that gives life to animals, birds, fish and humans is qi energy. It is she who permeates everything around and it is with her that the world began. Chi energy is the great principle of life, separating the living from the non-living. It is poetically called “the breath of the Dragon.” Qi generates life and after death, everything that was once alive returns to it. It is divided into yin and yang, two opposites that also exist in balance with each other. Qi is also classified into five wu xing - wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Elements that provide the interconnection of all existing objects and phenomena. There are two qi in a person - the original one, which was inherited from the parents, and the acquired one. The first one is not replenished. It is gradually consumed over time. The acquired one enters the body along with food, air and water. Together with the inherited one, it forms true qi. This energy is constantly in motion, but if the path of flow is blocked, then the balance is upset, the person begins to feel bad, and a dark streak comes in his life. Qi is dispersed by the wind, but water can hold it. The classical practice of feng shui teaches how to manipulate the vital energy qi.

International holidays - International Buddhist Day

Ease, beauty and ease of action, seasoned with self-confidence and excitement, are called courage. This emotional state brings a lot of pleasure. It seems that you have caught the mythical blue bird of luck by the tail, like the heroes of M. Maeterlinck’s play, or like a surfer conquered a giant wave. April 8th is the Festival of Courage - a day of courage and exciting experiences. Courage (translated as “courage”, “courage”) came to the Russian language from French. The bravado and desperation inherent in such behavior manifests itself both on the battlefield and in everyday life. A state of unprecedented elation allows you to go alone with your fists against a whole crowd, to take the most beautiful woman away from the company. Experiencing unbridled courage and euphoria, a person can commit any daring act that he would never risk in ordinary life. This word describes arrogant and casually unbridled behavior: “Let’s drink for courage!” Recklessness, demonstration of agility and brave prowess are historically characteristic of the Russian people. Therefore, the Gallicism "courage", a word from the slang of French circus performers, has taken root in our language. Just like the funny holiday celebrated on April 8th. Courage is boasting, cheeky behavior and enthusiasm, which causes a state akin to intoxication. Euphoria creates confidence in a person that he can handle any task. This feeling is quickly transmitted to others, which is very valuable and simply necessary for solving complex problems at work or at home. In its negative manifestations, courage makes people act out, leading to arrogant, insolent and mocking behavior. Therefore, on April 8 and other days, people who like to cross the boundaries of what is permitted should observe moderation. Courage often accompanies public speaking, gambling, and creativity. In this state, rock stars give concerts, win big in casinos, and create literary works. “Here are two lines - I’m a genius, no doubts, / Give me delight, laurels and flowers!” - this is how the hero of V. Vysotsky’s song enthusiastically talked about visiting the muse. In a state of euphoria, a person has a feeling of personal power, his own chosenness and exclusivity. Which is very good for shy and insecure people. Courage gives them a powerful psychological impulse, allows them to relax and get out of their comfort zone. Often rash and desperate actions are the only way to achieve what seems unrealistic and unattainable. The holiday of courage gives carte blanche to commit unpredictable actions. Go karting and get the thrill of racing, make a bet or publicly make a promise that at first glance seems impossible! When transforming fear into excitement, and anger into courage, a large amount of adrenaline is released into the blood, so getting pleasure from your own determination is inevitable. Hurry up to show off on April 8th, celebrating this funny holiday in the most unusual way!

Cayuga ducks, kingfishers and peacocks with tails iridescent in the sun, quesal and mandarin birds, jays and hyacinth macaws attract the attention of artists with their unusual plumage. No less beautiful are the crowned pigeon, rainbow lorikeet, pink flamingo and green-headed oriole, which just beg to be painted on canvas. Nature never ceases to amaze us with the diversity of its fauna and the beauty of some bird species. April 8 marks an unusual holiday - Bird Drawing Day. The Draw a Bird Day movement appeared in the middle of last year. History says that it began in 1943 with the initiative of a certain Dorie Cooper from England, who was visiting her uncle in the hospital, who had lost a leg in World War II. Wanting to distract him from his heavy thoughts, a 7-year-old girl invited the wounded soldier to draw her a bird, which he did. Seeing a robin through the window, my uncle drew it on paper. The niece promised that she would display the drawing in her room. This statement lifted the spirits not only of the front-line soldier, but also of everyone who was in the same room with him. After a while, other hospital patients joined in the drawing. Within a few months, the walls of the hospital were decorated with paintings of a variety of birds. The little girl instilled hope and faith in miracles in many wounded soldiers. Most of them remembered her for the rest of their lives. Three years later, Dorie Cooper died under the wheels of a car. At the girl's funeral, the coffin was filled with images of birds, which were painted in memory of her by soldiers, doctors and nurses of the hospital where her uncle had previously lain. On Doris's birthday, April 8, they began to celebrate Draw a Bird Day. Initially, the basic rule of the movement was to create a drawing of a bird in pencil. Later, everyone who wanted to take part in the event began to use other drawing tools, including computer graphics. The main condition, after more than 80 years, remains the same - to share a picture of a bird with someone. The drawing is given to friends or relatives, and the photo is posted with the hashtag #DrawPictureofaBird Day on social networks. The purpose of this sweet and touching holiday is to spread joy and love for the world around us, to remind people that happiness is often hidden in the simplest things. The picture painted for April 8 may depict a peacock, duck, penguin, dove, swallow or any other bird. You don't have to be an artist to take part in holiday activities. The main thing is the desire to share joy with your neighbor, to show how beautiful this world is, and to infect others with optimism and faith in a bright future.

The first drug control body was created in the Kyrgyz Republic in 1993. It was the State Commission for the Control of Narcotic Substances, established on April 8. This day, quite logically, is considered a professional holiday for employees of agencies fighting the spread of drugs in Kyrgyzstan. The Government resolution on this date appeared much later - in 2012. It canceled the previous resolution setting a holiday date on the day the drug control law was adopted. The particular difficulty of the work of anti-drug officers is explained by the geographical location of the republic. The country is at the center of the Northern Route for the distribution of opiates from Afghanistan throughout the world. The annual volume of transit traffic of narcotic substances through the southern regions of Kyrgyzstan reaches 20 tons. Such a scale threatens the collapse of the entire state system of the republic. In the mountainous regions of the Kyrgyz Republic, vast areas are occupied by hemp cultivation. The paths leading to the plantations are impassable, and armed criminals guard illegal crops. There are more than 10 thousand registered drug addicts in the country, and the percentage of women and young people among them is increasing. The date April 8 became a holiday in 2007 for everyone who is fighting for a drug-free life in Kyrgyzstan. Since then, awards for employees of the anti-drug agency (body, divisions) have been dedicated to the holiday. The success of the service is undeniable. Tons of psychotropic drugs, their precursors, and narcotics are withdrawn from circulation every year; large quantities of hashish and heroin are intercepted. Employees of the drug control agency act promptly to prevent the criminal distribution of narcotic substances. Agent work is carried out to prevent the emergence of drug dens. The most effective method to stop the transport and production of drugs is to destroy the market for them. The goal of the employees is a healthy nation and a safe society in the country.

Traditionally, April 8 is celebrated as Plitvice Lakes National Park Day in Croatia. The first mention of this amazing place dates back to 1777. The lakes received the status of a national park only two centuries later - in 1949, and thirty years later they were included in the UNESCO World Heritage Register. This is not only the largest, but also the oldest national park in Croatia. It is located on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina along the Korana River. Thanks to the river, over thousands of years, cascading lakes were formed. Plitvice Lakes are the epitome of an oasis of untouched nature and consist of 16 lakes with clear water. All lakes are connected by waterfalls, the number of which is 72. In total, the park occupies about three hundred square kilometers. The territory is rich not only in unique nature, but also in flora and fauna. Tourist routes to the natural wonder began to be in demand relatively recently. There are several hotels and a camping site in the park. For the convenience of visitors, the lakes are connected by special routes. The buildings within the park are harmoniously integrated into the picturesque landscape. Cross-country hiking routes are designed for guests with varying abilities and travel lengths. Some buildings are undergoing restoration: a mill on the Koran River, a water sawmill. The attention of tourists is attracted not only by the natural beauty of these places, but also by traditions. For example, it is very popular to get married under a waterfall. The national park consists not only of water bodies, but also caves. The caves located under the waterfalls are gaining more interest. Traces of prehistoric people have been discovered in some caves. In winter, there is an alternative to visiting caves and boating on lakes - skiing and sledding, climbing Mount Medvedzhak.

People escape from a fire that has engulfed a house or apartment by going down the flight of stairs installed inside or outside the building on its facade. Firefighters use a lifting mechanism and additional equipment for these purposes. The need for stairs arose with the advent of high-rise buildings, from the upper floors of which it was impossible to evacuate. On April 8, 1766, a device was patented in the United States to facilitate the rescue of people from buildings on fire. The birthday of the fire escape falls annually on this date. Before the advent of automobiles, rescuers responded to calls in horse-drawn carts. The first fire escapes were wooden, later becoming metal. Their maximum height was 10 meters. With the development of the automobile industry, fire brigades began to use cars, which finally replaced carts in the 30s. XX century Just like two hundred years ago, today stairs are used not only to evacuate residents in burning buildings. This improvised means is used as a stretcher or battering ram to rescue drowning people who have fallen into wells or hatches, and people who have climbed onto the tops of trees or roofs of houses. The invention of the auto-mechanical ladder made it possible to increase its length several times. Russian technicians and engineers have made a big step in this direction. Thus, the blacksmith Peter Dahlgren received a medal for creating a sliding ladder for firemen in 1777. The mechanical staircase he created was raised using levers and reached a height of 27 m. At the beginning of the 19th century. Mechanic Kirill Vasilyevich Sobolev invented a three-knee staircase, and architect from St. Petersburg William Geste invented a five-knee staircase. With the development of cities in the twentieth century. The issue of quickly delivering equipment to the fire site in conditions of streets flooded with cars and public transport became acute. In addition, manually extending and installing ladders transported to the scene on horseback took a lot of time, which led to the death of the people receiving help. Therefore, in the 1920s. Moscow firefighters adapted the chassis of a Berliet truck with a lifting capacity of 3 tons for these purposes. In Leningrad, ladders were transported on Ya-3 automobile pumps. In September 1937, the Central Research Institute of Fire Defense developed a metal ladder that extended to a height of 30 m and was mounted on the chassis of a ZIS-6 truck. Over time, telescopic devices appeared, the length of which when unfolded reached 88 m, assault devices with hooks for working on roofs and mountain slopes. Today, articulated car lifts are used both for evacuating people and for illuminating the scene of a fire with spotlights, lifting loads and much more. Rescue of victims from fire using sliding ladders is carried out at high altitudes, reaching up to 112 m. But, despite the modernization of the device and the improvement of equipment with the latest technology, every year they remember the ancestor of the modern fire escape, celebrating her birthday on April 8.

April 8 (March 26, old style) according to the folk calendar, Gabriel Blagovest is celebrated. And in the Orthodox calendar, the date coincides with the celebration of the Council of the Archangel Gabriel, who appeared at the Annunciation (April 7) to inform the Virgin Mary of her pregnancy with God’s son. Gabriel is a holy angel, a messenger of the Almighty. God instructed him to convey important predictions to humanity. So he descended from heaven to the prophet Daniel to tell about the imminent arrival of the Savior - Jesus Christ. Gabriel brought St. Anne (the mother of the Virgin Mary) the joyful news of her conception as a girl, the future mother of God. He also told the elder saint Zechariah that his death would come only when he personally took the Messiah, the baby Jesus, into his arms. And it is not surprising that on the day of veneration of Gabriel, the people called the archangel Blagovest, meaning “Good News.” However, the peasants believed that a child born on Gabriel’s day would not be attractive enough in life, rather the opposite. It was often joked that such a baby would grow up to be an angry person with physical disabilities. Residents prayed to Gabriel for recovery from flu or fever (high temperatures). They also asked Gabriel to protect him from spring colds. People turned to him for help if they experienced emotional distress and asked him to bear them more easily. The weather was becoming warm, and the night frosts were almost gone. The peasants devoted the day to garden work. Early crops (radishes, onions, carrots) were planted in the ground, and in the more southern regions seedlings of tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, legumes and melons were planted. To protect the future fruits of bushes and trees from insect pests, gardeners sprayed them with a special solution. Since Gabriel Blagovest, housewives have been saving yarn until the cold weather. This was associated with an increase in the volume of household and garden work. If women, trying to cope with all their worries, sat down to yarn, they did it in a hurry. As a result, the threads turned out to be of poor quality, often with lumps, and accordingly, products made from them were made defective. By the signs of Gabriel Blagovest they judged the future weather. The bird cherry blossoms meant that it would be warm and we could start planting potatoes. When the willow blossomed, beekeepers removed beehives from the omshanik. If the snow on the roof had not completely melted by a given day, it means that cool weather was expected for another month. By looking at the more starry areas in the sky, they determined which direction the wind would blow from.

Japan Holidays - Flower Festival (Hana Matsuri)

Orthodox holidays on April 8:

The Cathedral of the Archangel Gabriel marks the date of honoring the memory of the angel Gabriel, the Lord’s assistant in notifying people about important events. Actually, “cathedral” means a meeting in a temple for prayer. According to the Holy Scriptures, there are seven archangels of God. Their heavenly life is little known to people, but they descend to earth to convey God’s messages to believers or to warn them about the future. One such angel is Gabriel, whose name translates as “God’s warrior” or “power of God.” In icons, Gabriel is depicted as a young man with wings behind his back. In his hands is often drawn a blooming branch of a date palm from paradise, or a candle in a lantern and a stone with a mirror surface. The Archangel descended from heaven to Moses, taught him to read and write, warned about the global flood, about the division of human speech, and helped in writing the book of Genesis. Gabriel told the prophet Daniel about the fate of the people and rulers, about the arrival of Jesus Christ in the world, about the end of the world. Saint Zechariah learned from him about the conception of Saint John, the last prophet telling about the arrival of the Messiah into the world. Gabriel also informed the righteous couple, Anna and Joachim, about their conception of the girl Mary. It was she who in the future became the Mother of God; the archangel himself took care of her in the temple. When Mary grew up and got married, Gabriel came down to her to tell her the good news of pregnancy, leading to the birth of Jesus Christ. The heavenly messenger appeared before Jesus Christ and strengthened him with support when he stood in prayer before his final suffering. And after his death, an angel notified the myrrh-bearing women about the resurrection of the Messiah. These messages served as a reason to call Gabriel the messenger of miraculous events. In prayers to him, Christians ask for pregnancy and its successful progress, and for help in the event of adopting a child.

Feast of the Icon of the Mother of God “Meletinskaya”

Memorial Day of the Hieromartyr Irenaeus of Sirmium