International Day of Monuments and Historic Sites is celebrated annually on April 18. The holiday was established in 1982 and began to be celebrated internationally a little later, in 1984. “Let's preserve our historical homeland,” is the motto of the holiday. Its goal is to attract public attention to the world cultural heritage. Events accompanying the celebration of this day in different countries of the world are aimed at conveying information about the vulnerability of cultural values ​​of humanity and the need for their preservation and protection. As part of the holiday, various conferences and open door events are held. Visiting museums becomes free. On this day, historical complexes that are closed to visitors on regular days may even open to the public. In pre-Petrine era Russia, the concept of “monument” was absent. The state protected only religious shrines. In this regard, we will never be able to know most of the monuments of ancient Russian art. First, under the reign of Peter I, then Nicholas I, more and more attention was paid to the protection of ancient monuments. The first restoration work and the reconstruction of some historical monuments can be attributed to this time. However, revolutionary upheavals and civil war negatively affected people's attitudes towards ancient monuments. By mercilessly destroying them, people thought that they could build a bright future. Once again they started talking about saving cultural heritage in the Soviet Union. In 1924, by resolution of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, a decree was developed on the duty of the executive committees to ensure that “fortifications, mounds, burial grounds ... are not plowed open, are not excavated for any economic purposes, so that the security zone around the monuments remains inviolable.” From the distant 1924 to the present, the situation with the protection of our cultural and historical monuments has not been very good. Although there have always been supporters and defenders of monuments on Russian soil, historical values ​​continue to disappear and be destroyed. According to some expert estimates, our country loses up to 200 historical and cultural monuments every year. Some objects can never be restored - they are irretrievably lost. The Day of Monuments and Historical Places is recognized throughout the world, but this holiday should be especially important for us. It must touch everyone and be deeply embedded in our national consciousness. We must remember: cultural and historical values ​​are what unites us, educates us and makes us stronger. This is what makes us human...

Radio is one of the outstanding inventions. In the twenty-first century digital age, you might think that radio has faded into the background. But it is not so. In our time, it remains very relevant. Many people who are passionate about radio engineering and radio communications can be found all over the world. This wonderful holiday exists for them - World Amateur Radio Day. Another name for the holiday is International Amateur Radio Day. It is celebrated annually around the world on April 18th. It is not considered an official day and is not a non-working day in any country. However, it is celebrated by people who are passionate about amateur radio, whose hobby or profession is radio engineering and radio communications. There are many such people all over the planet. Radio Amateur Day is celebrated in approximately 200 countries. The holiday began its existence in 1925. It was this year, on April 18, in France, in the city of Paris, that the International Amateur Radio Union was founded. The founders of this union were people interested in radio communications. The purpose of its creation was to unite people around the world who are partial to radio. In those distant times, doing amateur radio communications, collecting radio circuits and communicating with each other on the radio was something grandiose, out of the realm of science fiction. In less than 100 years, radio communications have made huge strides forward. At first there were primitive technologies that required the use of a spark discharge. Now digital processing is taking place, there is Internet radio, which does not require either a transmitter or a receiver to transmit a signal. Radio communication enthusiasts to this day communicate with each other over the air on short waves, being in different parts of the Earth. This is very exciting and unusual, even in times of cellular communications and the Internet. In many countries there are amateur radio unions, which, in turn, can be awarded the honor of joining the International Union of Radio Amateurs. So in Russia there is such a union of amateur radio. It was founded in 1992, and was admitted to the International Union in 1994. It is also noteworthy that every year Radio Amateur Day is celebrated under different mottos, thereby providing various topics for discussion in radio clubs and the exchange of experience. So, for example, in 2010 they remembered the sixties. It was then that artificial amateur radio satellites were first launched into Earth orbit. The next year there was another, no less interesting topic - the first social network based on amateur radio technology. Amateur radio operators have contributed much to professional radio communications and have been pioneers in many of today's communications advances.

If we convert the date April 5, 1242 to the new style, we get the twelfth number. But in the 13th century there was no need to do this, and in the twentieth, out of habit, thirteen days were added instead of the required seven. Therefore, since 1995, on April 18, the Russian Federation celebrates the Day of Military Glory of Russia - the Day of the Victory of Russian soldiers of Prince Alexander Nevsky over the German knights on Lake Peipus. The same event is known as the Battle of the Ice of 1242. It is known that the battle was commemorated in funeral litanies (petitions for the repose of souls) in Novgorod churches until the sixteenth century. At least on this basis, the Ice Battle can be included in the list of great events of its time. After all, services are held everywhere for the repose of loved ones who fell on the battlefield and this is an ordinary event. But the memory of only the most outstanding battles extends over three centuries. Traditionally, the battle on Lake Peipus is called a confrontation between Russian squads and German knights. It is not entirely correct to say this, because in the times described there was no single Russian state. Likewise, there was no country whose interests were represented by a coalition of German crusaders, Danish and Swedish feudal lords, as well as Chud militias (Estonians). There are no divergent opinions only on who led the battle on the part of the Russian combined forces. This was Alexander Yaroslavovich (Yaroslavich) Nevsky, at that time Prince of Novgorod. The area where the Battle of the Ice took place has been established approximately. It corresponds to the descriptions and chronicles, but no archaeological finds have been made at this site to prove the correct localization of the battle. It is not entirely clear why information about ice as the main decoration that became characteristic of the battle spread so widely. Firstly, in April, even in those cold regions, the ice is no longer quite strong and does not cover the territory so extensively. Secondly, the chronicles say that the fallen “fell on the grass.” Therefore, the ground has either already exposed last year's grass, or spring has been so early that new vegetation has begun to emerge. In any case, ice is not mentioned as the main covering of the battlefield. There is also no reliable evidence that the knights clad in armor broke the ice cover with their weight and, unable to free themselves from their armor, sank. The history of the development of armor claims that in the thirteenth century its chain mail form was widespread. Cumbersome plates and complexly joined heavy armor had not yet been produced. They could increase weight and limit mobility. But none of the warring parties used them. The film by Sergei Eisenstein shaped the idea of ​​what happened for many years. Footage of knights with bucket-like helmets and white cloaks going under the water together and then clinging to fragments of ice floes are recognized as textbook. Many viewers believed them to correspond to reality. How it really happened is not known. In any case, the battle is considered a significant event. After it, a truce was concluded, which postponed the next attempt of the Teutons to seize the Novgorod lands for 10 years. Perhaps the battle did not take place as it is now presented, and the losses were not calculated entirely correctly. However, this does not prevent it from being made a symbol of Russia’s military glory and celebrated as a memorable day.

Clubs, plates, rings and balls flying into the air and picked up by the performer in the arena are one of the most popular circus acts. Masterful manipulation of objects is one of the most ancient arts. Images of jugglers appear on ancient Egyptian wall paintings dating back to the 2nd millennium BC. Old Russian heroes possessed the talent of manipulating a mace; Chinese and Japanese warriors demonstrated it with the help of swords. April 18 marks International Jugglers Day - a professional holiday for artists considered a symbol of the circus. European masters of the Middle Ages demonstrated throwing and catching objects at fairs, markets and drinking establishments. Juggling and performing acrobatic tricks were mastered by fools and jesters who lived in the palaces of kings and castles of nobles. An act involving throwing objects into the air to demonstrate dexterity was included in the circus performance program in 1768. This year, entrepreneur Philip Asley opened the first such establishment in the modern sense of the word. After some time, jugglers became a symbol of the circus. In the 19th century they filled the pauses during the change of scenery in music halls with their numbers. Gradually, juggling became an independent type of circus performance, separating itself from sword swallowing and acrobatics. The art of manipulating sticks, diabolos, clubs and balls was constantly evolving. Today we know several types of juggling: from the floor, classic with throwing objects up, flip and contact with moving them along the artist’s body. The last direction is represented by multiball (rolling several balls in your hands) and body rolling (over the whole body). World Juggling Day is celebrated annually on the Saturday closest to June 17th. It coincides with the founding of the International Jugglers Association (IJA) in April 1975. International Juggler`s Day is celebrated on April 18th. Both festive days are held with the aim of popularizing sports juggling as a hobby. Mastery develops endurance and dexterity, peripheral vision, fine motor skills and coordination of movements. Juggling has a beneficial effect on the central nervous system, stimulates the creative process, the ability to guess the trajectory of movement of balls, plates, clubs and other props. In addition to the undoubted benefits for the body, circus acts of this type evoke admiration among the audience and give them aesthetic pleasure. The large number of professionals is due to the popularity of juggling, which has been actively practiced as a hobby since the late 1960s. Amateurs use in everyday life in the form of props not only balls, rings, plates, vegetables and fruits, but also packs of cigarettes, knives, flaming torches and even chainsaws. Professionals perform tricks of high complexity, dismantling sideways juggling, throwing large numbers of objects into the air, working alone or in teams. This fascinating art form has not lost its popularity for hundreds and even thousands of years. Honing skills does not require the creation of special conditions and can occur anywhere, as well as demonstrating the skill and dexterity of the performer. Therefore, circus performers and ordinary people are happy to celebrate April 18 as International Jugglers Day.

“Where does grandpa sleep?” - Sharik asked his friend in the famous cartoon. “Oh, there - in the hallway, on the rug! And if he doesn’t listen, then I’ll broom him...” answered Barbos. Pet owners, of course, do not suffer from such arbitrariness on the part of dogs or cats. But their life is still subject to the regime of their pets - getting up early, walking outside in any weather, preparing food for the pet, which can be even more fussy. April 18th is Pet Owners Independence Day. This holiday gives the owner the opportunity to take a break from his obligations at least once a year. The initiators of Pet Owners Independence Day invite pet owners to laze around - lie on the carpet, sit on the windowsill, watching the sparrows with a predatory gaze, or play with their pet’s favorite toy. A dog or cat should be in the owner’s shoes at his workplace. Hypothetically, one can, of course, imagine a talking budgerigar answering a phone call, but in real life this is hardly feasible. As well as the successful catching of mice by the cat’s owner. After all, many mustachioed and tailed animals are kept in the house to exterminate rodents, and this is partly their job. In honor of Pet Owner Independence Day, owners take sweet photos of their four-legged friends sitting at their office desks and post them online. The idea for the holiday came from Thomas and Ruth Roy, who are well known for their eccentricity in creating holidays for Americans. Pet Owners Independence Day, unlike other events invented by spouses, is based on a sound idea: scientific research has shown that having animals in the office reduces stress and increases productivity of company employees. It can be either a canary in a cage or a cat busily walking along the corridors, which has become the mascot of the company. The initiative of Thomas Roy and Ruth was supported by the head of the international project People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Mimi Behechi. He believes that it would be beneficial for a pet to visit its owner's work once a year rather than sit at home alone and stare at the front door, waiting for its owner to return. But if the idea of ​​bringing a pet to the office does not find support from colleagues and management, the holiday can be celebrated in a different way. In honor of Independence Day on April 18, owners visit a cafe with their pets, where four-legged friends are allowed, or order cake, ice cream, or other favorite animal treats to their home. A fun holiday does not require strict adherence to any traditions. It simply becomes another reason for the owner to demonstrate his love and care for the pet.

April 18 - on this day in 1918, the Red Cross officially began its merciful and noble activities on the territory of Ukraine. Charitable medical care began to be provided in Kyiv in 1878 by the sisters of mercy of the Mariinsky community. The difficult military-revolutionary time of the First World War set before them many tasks not only of a medical nature, and throughout the country: caring for orphans, caring for the disabled, assisting refugees and prisoners of war, resisting hunger and epidemics. The Mariinsky community initiated the 1st Congress of the Society, which began on April 15, 1918. On April 18, all decisions on the activities of the organization were made, and this date began to be considered the founding day. A colossal amount of work was done: infirmaries, hospitals, public baths and laundries were organized, food centers were opened for those in need, and paramedic stations were equipped. The Ukrainian Red Cross founded more than a thousand specialized treatment centers just to combat the typhus epidemic. During the particularly hungry and difficult years of 1921-1923, the Society’s employees distributed food rations to the peasants. The Red Cross made a huge, invaluable contribution during the Great Patriotic War: with its help, more than 100 thousand volunteers received the necessary training and went to the front as nurses and medical instructors. The State Decree giving the Red Cross Society the status of the only National Society was signed by the President on October 28, 1992. This Decree at the official level allows us to provide support to the state in the humanitarian sphere. The Ukrainian Red Cross currently has about 7 million supporters and activists, and implements over 40 public projects throughout the country, which are financed by voluntary donations. Various events are held for the population: Health Day, Tuberculosis Day. Every year, the organization’s employees help several hundred thousand lonely elderly people, disabled people, WWII participants, and HIV-infected people. The National Society has opened more than 800 first aid stations in remote rural areas in recent years. Another achievement was the creation of the Tracing Service, which helps find loved ones whose contact has been lost as a result of life circumstances. The date April 18 is a holiday for all employees of the Red Cross Society, volunteers and representatives of the progressive public who have chosen humanity, voluntariness and compassion in their daily work.

Danish Holidays - Battle of Dybbol Day

Remembrance of the Hung Kings Day is a national holiday in Vietnam, which is considered relatively new, since celebrations have been held annually since 2007. The duration of such a holiday is a whole week, and begins on the tenth day of the third lunar month. The roots of the holiday go back not only to history, but are also connected to politics. In terms of scale, it surpasses other holidays in Vietnam. It involves a large number of government agencies and senior officials, including the leaders of the country itself. Due to its nationwide nature, festival events take place throughout the country throughout the week. The epicenter of the celebration, as a rule, is the temples of the Hung Kings, which make up a whole complex throughout the country. For example, in Phong Chau county or Phu Tho province. The purpose of the Day is to unite the nation. Taking this factor into account, the Day of the Hung Kings in Vietnam can be equated in importance to the Day of National Unity in the Russian Federation. Hung Gi is the first monarchical dynasty in Vietnam, and one of the founders of the dynasty is considered the son of a bird fairy and a dragon. The existence of the dynasty of kings dates back to approximately the Bronze Age (about two thousand years BC). Under the leadership of the first Hung Vuong, the Viet tribes were united and the first Vietnamese state of Van Lang was organized. The beginning of the festival is marked by a ceremonial sacrifice for the dynasty. Among the obligatory gifts are round and square pies: “banzhai” and “banching”, respectively. After which solemn processions take place, in which almost all residents of local villages take part. In addition, during the celebration, various festivities and folk games, performances of ensembles and artists, and song competitions are held. And everywhere the Vietnamese sing karaoke and set off fireworks in the evening. During this period of time, tourist routes become popular, mainly in Phu Tho, as costumed processions are highly organized there, as well as high-ranking officials of the state and the clergy, they organize a military parade and boat races, and end it all with a magnificent shock of fireworks.

Zimbabwe Holidays - Independence Day

On April 18 (April 5, old style) Fedul Vetrenik is celebrated in the folk calendar. The day is named in honor of the righteous martyr Theodulus of Thessalonica, a church reader from Thessalonica, revered on this date among Orthodox believers. Theodulus lived in Greece in the 3rd and 4th centuries and served as a reader in the church. When the pagan persecution of Christians began, Theodulus and his colleague Deacon Agathopoda were brought to trial before the head of the city. They tried to persuade them to idolatry, first with convictions, then with lies, but the Christians firmly refused. They were sent to prison, but after a while they were interrogated again. For refusing to renounce Christianity, Theodulus and Agathopod were thrown tied into the sea, where they died. The winds became warm among the people from Fedula Vetrenik, which is why the day was called that. The night frosts had already passed; during the day it was so warm that the peasants took off their casings and sheepskin coats. Along with the warmth, insects appeared in the gardens. The crickets were entering their mating season and their chirping was often heard. On the day of Fedul Vetrenik there was a custom to ventilate the room. After a long winter, this was useful, and the air outside was warm and did not freeze the rooms. Residents opened the windows and read a special spell so that evil spirits, illnesses or commotion would not enter their homes. People believed that commotion could enter a household and bring him illness or problems. To get rid of it, the patient was taken to a healer for healing. According to the signs of Fedul Vetrenik, they were guided by the future weather. The silence in the area foreshadowed a change in weather and windiness. A cold night after a warm day meant that the days would continue to be fine. If a capercaillie current was heard, they prepared for sunny days, and their silence, on the contrary, promised coolness. The remains of snow in deep ditches determined when it was time to sow the fields: a snowdrift the height of a cow was considered a good sign.

Orthodox holidays on April 18:

The story of Job began around the 1530s, and was known to the world as John. Father and mother sent their son to receive a diploma at the Staritsa monastery, where upon completion of his studies he was tonsured as a monk. While there, the boy studied the Bible better than other students and was distinguished by a good memory and determination. When Tsar Ivan IV visited the sanctuary in 1571, noticing the capable Job, he elevated him to the leadership of the Simonov Assumption Monastery and bestowed the spiritual title of Archimandrite. After 4 years, Job became abbot of the Novospassky monastery for men, and after 6 years, Job was appointed to the episcopal rank in Kolomna, located 100 km from Moscow. After 5 years, Job was elevated to the rank of senior bishop of Rostov. In 1587 he became a metropolitan; in 1589, at the Assumption Cathedral, Job was officially consecrated as the country's first Patriarch. While serving in the patriarchal rank, Job was engaged in the revival and strengthening of the Christian spirit among the people. He also took care of spiritual discipline in religious communities and increased their morality. The saint earned special respect for his large-scale printing and distribution of church scriptures. When the Hours of Troubles came (1598-1613) and instability on the throne raged in the state, the self-proclaimed son of the tsar, Dmitry I, who had the support of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, came to power. Job did not accept the newly created impostor; on the contrary, he brought censure against him and the citizens who supported him, for which he paid with his personal title. The saint was imprisoned in the Staritsa monastery, and Ignatius, originally from Greece, was appointed to his post. After the death of the impostor sovereign, the ruling power announced that the overthrow of Job was considered illegal, and he was again in his former rank. However, the monk was unable to return due to his old age and poor health. The elder lived out his last days in the Staritsky Monastery, where in 1607 he gave up his soul to the Lord. The date of his repose was recorded as June 19. The monk was buried in the same sanctuary, and a chapel was founded above the burial place. The transfer of the holy relics to the capital's Assumption Cathedral happened in 1652. Subsequently, pilgrims flocked to the relics of the saint, noting their miraculous powers.

Day of Remembrance of the Holy Martyrs Agathopodus the Deacon and Theodulus the Reader

Memorial Day of St. Puplius of Egypt

Memorial Day of St. Theodora of Thessalonica