Nelson Mandela is the first black president of South Africa. During the policy of racial discrimination, he became one of the most famous activists fighting for people's rights. It was for this that he had to spend 26 years in prison. In 1990, Mandela was released, and three years later he received the Nobel Prize. The human rights activist dedicated 67 years of his life to the cause of humanity and peace - as a fighter for human rights, a political prisoner, a global peacemaker and the first democratically elected South African president. During his tenure as president, Mandela developed many significant reforms that had the main goal of overcoming social and economic discrimination in the republic. Among the important measures of his reign are: Every year on the holiday, all sorts of events are organized at UN information centers and political organizations around the world. There are debates and readings of thematic literature, musical ethnic concerts, screenings of the film “Invictus” about the life of the South African human rights activist, photo exhibitions, etc. In addition, members of the UN join the request of the Mandela Foundation addressed to all inhabitants of the planet - in honor of the holiday, 67 minutes (one for each year of Nelson's community service) to help other people, do something meaningful and humane on this day: help those in need, babysit a child, improve the surrounding area, or take part in volunteer and charity events.

Every year on July 18, all employees of the State Fire Supervision bodies celebrate their professional holiday - the Day of Creation of the State Fire Supervision Bodies. It began to be celebrated in 2007, and it arose back in Soviet times. On July 18, 1927, the Council of People's Commissars adopted a document on the creation of a state fire supervision service designed to prevent and extinguish fires. Today, the responsibilities of this service include the prevention of fire prevention measures, checking the availability and condition of fire equipment at serviced facilities, creating a general warning system in the event of a fire alarm or real danger, developing and maintaining an automatic fire extinguishing system. The statistics for our country are as follows: there are about 2,000 fires per million people. The reasons are different, but almost all of them are caused by careless handling of fire by people. This includes the use of faulty electrical appliances, smoking while intoxicated in bed, barbecues in nature leading to fires in forests, and the worst thing - matches and lighters left by careless parents within the reach of children. Federal State Fire Supervision is under the jurisdiction of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. An exception is Gospozhnadzor, which operates in forests, underground facilities, during mining operations, as well as during the production, transportation, storage, use and destruction of explosive materials for industrial use. On the day of the holiday, the employees of the department are honored by the Minister of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the heads of departmental services of this ministry. In addition, on July 18, preventative awareness-raising events are held to prevent fires. People are told how and with what they need to extinguish various sources of fire, how to knock out the flames from a burning person, that it is not always worth opening windows during a fire, since the flow of oxygen stimulates combustion, and also how to move through a smoke-filled area. room. If each of us follows basic fire safety rules, such as monitoring the integrity and condition of wiring, serviceability of sockets and switches, insulating gas stoves from wooden furniture, the number of fires will be significantly reduced. Let us note that Russian Fire Protection Day is celebrated annually on April 30.

“All happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,” this is how L.N.’s novel begins. Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina". It’s hard to disagree with the writer, although every person has his own idea of ​​the ideal relationship between husband and wife, children and parents. By creating a “unit of society,” partners believe in a bright future and boundless love, which will be the key to a comfortable and happy life until their “silver” or “golden” wedding. Some people really manage to stay afloat in the ocean of life and steer the family ship through storms and adversity with honor. July 18 is the Day of the Ideal Family. Perfect Family Day is dedicated to couples in which the partners feel good and comfortable being with each other. People experience a sense of happiness from living together and satisfaction from realizing the inner strength of the relationship. Yes, in an ideal family, problems, disputes and misunderstandings also arise. But the important thing is not that they appeared, but how the partners came out of the conflict situation, managing not to lose love and respect. Such interaction between spouses contributes to the growth and development of the family as a community, which makes everyone in the couple strong. In a harmonious relationship, “I” always gives way to “We”. Life in an ideal family is characterized by mutual respect and understanding of the needs of the other person, be it a parent or a child. Where love reigns, there is no place for anger, irritation and disappointment. However, this does not mean that children in such families are not scolded and punished. The parent’s task is to explain to the child the rules of behavior and set boundaries that cannot be crossed. The priority of an ideal family is not the depersonalization and dissolution of its members into each other, but the development of self-sufficient individuals who do not have high expectations. Finding a balance in a relationship that allows everyone to grow and be a role model is not easy. In this sense, there is no need to rely on photographs from social networks, which in some ways can be compared to the “star factory” of Hollywood. As a rule, happy couples do not participate in this vanity fair. People who live in harmony with themselves and their loved ones do not need to clearly demonstrate family harmony and prove something to the world around them. Behind bright photos with deliberately joyful characters, sometimes not the best relationships, conflicts and other problems are hidden. Family gives us a feeling of support and a reliable rear, makes us more protected from the adversities of fate, and increases life expectancy. The benefits of cooperation and existence within a couple, tribe and community were already understood by primitive people. The search for a second ladle also explains the human instinct for procreation. Ideal people, like families, do not exist. However, it is still worth trying to achieve perfection in relationships through negotiations and compromises. Sometimes this takes years of life. The reward for the path traveled will be the discovery once made that Ideal Family Day is your holiday.

A person experiences the world around him through the organs of vision, smell, touch and hearing. The Indians of North America put their ear to the ground to determine by subtle acoustic vibrations what kind of creature was making a sound and at what distance it was located. Modern man, immersed in the background of a metropolis around the clock, is deprived of even a tenth of the abilities of his ancestors. This fact worsens the interaction of people with nature and the surrounding world. To draw attention to this problem, World Listening Day is celebrated on July 18th. The establishment of World Listening Day, which has been celebrated annually since 2010, is associated with Raymond Murray Shafer, a Canadian composer, teacher, philosopher and conservationist. The founder of the World Soundscape Project is the founder of acoustic ecology, a discipline that studies the sounds that occur in the environment and their effect on the human body. The object of research is both natural noise (the howling of the wind, the sound of raindrops, the splashing of waves) and those of man-made origin (the operation of car engines, the roar of equipment at construction sites, etc.) The date of birth of R. Shafer, July 18, 1933, was chosen to establish World Listening Day. Modern people get tired not only from stress and the frantic pace of life, but also from “sound pollution,” which is most often characteristic of large cities. Increased noise levels affect not only hearing acuity. It causes constant fatigue and irritability, reduces performance, and leads to the development of chronic migraines and neuroses. The noise level from a car signal heard at a distance of 7.5 m from the listener is 107 decibels, from a bus - 91 dB. It is known that a sound of 130 dB causes pain in a person, and at 150 dB it becomes physically unbearable. High levels of background noise are an underestimated threat. It can cause sleep problems, hearing problems, cardiovascular disease and other health problems. The sound of moving outdoor subway cars and electric trains, cars, garbage collection equipment, lawn mowers and other units negatively affects both the physical condition of humans and living beings. Dogs, cats, squirrels and birds suffer from noise in megacities; they become deaf or begin to behave aggressively. R. Shafer began studying acoustic ecology in the late 1960s at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. Based on his experience, the scientist has developed exercises for developing auditory competence that help specialists in planning the sound landscape of urban areas. A well-organized and comfortable auditory environment is the way of development of the megacities of the future. In the meantime, in honor of World Listening Day, city residents organize meditation in the fresh air, away from noise and dust, and practice yoga to relax and achieve harmony with nature.

A special unit is responsible for supplying the Russian police with weapons, uniforms, food and vehicles. Its introduction includes the material and technical base of the internal affairs bodies. The economic department, an analogue of the service in modern Russia, appeared in the Commandant’s Office of the Revolutionary Guard of Petrograd on July 18, 1918. The unit was responsible for supplying law enforcement agencies with office supplies, weapons, transport, and was responsible for lighting and heating the buildings where the Red Guards were located. The date of the creation of the Commandant's Office and the economic department, based on the results of the October Revolution and the decision of the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies, became a holiday. The celebration appeared on the calendar by decision of the Minister of Internal Affairs B. Gryzlov. Since 2001, July 18 has been celebrated as the Day of Economic Service of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. However, this holiday is not the only one established in honor of the unit. The Decree of Alexander I on the formation of the State Economy Expedition under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Empire has been preserved in the historical annals. The document was published on July 18, 1803 (July 30, new style). This date marks the Day of Economic Support Units of Internal Affairs Bodies. The holiday is celebrated annually on the basis of Order No. 397 of V. Kolokoltsev dated June 19, 2017. Both celebrations were established with the aim of increasing the experience accumulated by the service, preserving historical traditions, increasing the role and significance of the logistics and economic support units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The professionalism of employees and the responsible performance of their duties affects the combat readiness of the Department of Internal Affairs and other units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The mobility of police personnel and the speed of response to offenses depend on the condition of traffic police, police and temporary detention vehicles, and whether they are equipped with radio stations, navigation of the GLONASS satellite system, video surveillance systems and emergency equipment. On July 18, congratulations are given to those involved in production, economic, logistical, social, welfare and motor transport support for the Department of Internal Affairs. On this day, current employees and veterans of the service are presented with memorable awards, certificates and prizes. The federal government agency is in charge of supplying police officers with uniforms and weapons, equipping them with the latest technology and repairing vehicles. On July 18, professionals receive words of gratitude from management and colleagues, who pay tribute to the importance of fulfilling the tasks assigned to the economic service of the Department of Internal Affairs.

Afanasyev Day, also called the Months holiday, is popularly celebrated on July 18 (July 5 according to the old calendar style). The holiday received its name from the church date of honoring St. Athanasius of Athos, revered by Orthodox Christians. Athanasius was from Trapenzund (modern Trabzon in Turkey) and lived in the 10th century. An orphaned boy at an early age was taken in by a nun. As a youth, he received a good education, after which he took monastic vows at the Kiminsky Monastery. Years later, Athanasius went to Mount Athos for solitude, where he eventually built a monastery. The saint could heal the sick and drive demons out of his body through prayer. Athanasius died tragically during the collapse of the monastery wall. People called this day the Months Holiday, since they celebrated the moon on this date. By nightfall, residents left their houses and peered into the heavenly body. During the Months holiday, people noticed how the moon changed its shades, how it hid behind the clouds and slowly moved across the sky. People believed that observing the month on a given night gave more vitality. People often treated the moon with respect. Days were counted from new moon to full moon, since many works depended on the lunar cycle. It was believed that things would be all right if they were started on the waxing moon, for example, planting plants or buying property. But in the waning month they tried to postpone important undertakings. Residents believed that the moon could influence human mood, and during the full moon they tried not to walk around late, fearing the activity of evil spirits. On this day, women prepared dough and made crescent-shaped cookies from it. A lot of butter, honey, nuts and poppy seeds were added to it. The finished baked goods were taken out at sunset and treated to their own and neighboring children. They often tried to bake a lot of cookies to treat them to friends and passers-by, believing that this would bring prosperity and income to the family. If on Afanasyev's day they saw the moon diving from one cloud to another, then they expected a generous harvest in the fields. The haze covering the month in the sky foreshadowed inclement weather. If the heavenly body brightly illuminated the earth at night, then they prepared for fine days. But the clouds that turned yellow during the day warned of impending precipitation.

A cloudy sky and falling drops are not a reason to be sad and complain about bad weather. Walking in the rain is a favorite pastime of romantics and creative people who enjoy the sound of the wind, sparks of lightning and the rumble of thunder. Turkish playwright and writer Mehmet Murat Ildan believed that rainfall transforms nature and people. He said: “On a sunny, clear day you can improve your body; on a rainy, foggy day you can improve your mind!” When talking about prolonged bad weather and heavy rain, they use the biblical “the abyss of heaven opened up.” But even with the most extreme and frightening manifestations of the elements, the rain will always have fans who are ready to get wet to the skin while walking through the puddles. An unusual holiday has been established in honor of this habit. Every year on July 18th we celebrate the fun Walking in the Rain Day. Drops falling from the sky onto the trees and green grass give the air a unique aroma. The smell of wet soil, called geosmin by chemists, is associated with freshness and cleanliness. Just like ozone, which saturates the air after lightning flashes and heavy rainfall. Therefore, walking in the rain is not only a romantic activity. This is an aromatherapy and sound meditation session at the same time. During rain and thunderstorms, the birds become silent, and when it’s over, they begin to sing loudly. The sounds of living nature harmonize your inner state, calm you down, and give you a feeling of happiness and peace. Despite the inconvenience that rain causes, good folk omens are associated with it. The downpour marks the end of the dark streak and the beginning of a bright future. Rain at a wedding promises prosperity and a happy life together, symbolizing the blessing of heaven. Its drops are associated with tears shed in advance, which will no longer happen in marriage. According to signs, if the rain started during the wedding and lasted for three days, the family will be strong, without quarrels and betrayals. “I love to walk in the rain because no one can see my tears,” said Charlie Chaplin. Bad weather with thunder and lightning is a good opportunity to cry and “shout out” your pain without making it public. Walking during a rainstorm, when most people are hiding at home, provides an opportunity to enjoy solitude and freedom, allowing you to temporarily distance yourself from society. Rain has a beneficial effect on human energy - it helps cleanse the subtle bodies. According to Vedic astrology Joytish, a woman should get wet to the skin in a downpour in order to break the connection with her husband’s clan if she is divorced from him. Man has long turned to natural elements, using the power of water for physical healing. Walking barefoot through puddles during blind rain is an excellent opportunity to harden the body, feel the mother earth under your feet and feel its power just as our ancestors did thousands of years ago.

Orthodox holidays on July 18:

By analogy with other holidays celebrated by the Christian Church, the day of remembrance of St. Sergius is associated with a number of traditions and prohibitions: It is worth giving up loud arguments, foul language, difficult thoughts and experiences. A strict taboo is imposed on the occult - magic, fortune telling, hexing. It is recommended to provide all possible assistance to people in need, to support relatives, friends and others with noble deeds and kind words. The churches hold services that are worth visiting and taking part in the singing. Upon returning home, you need to read a prayer of glorification, and then ask the icon for happiness, physical and spiritual health, and good luck in your endeavors. The abbot is considered the patron saint of pupils and students. His merits include not only the foundation of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and other churches. During his lifetime, the saint performed miracles, was engaged in peacemaking activities, delicately and gently eliminating conflicts between warring parties. On the day of the performance they judge when the first cold will arrive. If snow fell on October 8, they concluded that winter weather set in early on the 20th of October. Since in Rus' the guardian was considered the patron of poultry, chicken dishes and treats, various snacks and egg salads were placed on the table on the day of his memory.

Feast of the Icon of the Mother of God “House-Builder” (“Ekonomissa”)

Memorial Day of the Holy Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth

Memorial Day of St. Athanasius of Athos