Funny holidays - Birthday of the phrase “Wind of Change”

Stable phrases that have formed in the language throughout its existence make the speech of native speakers more figurative and expressive. One of the regularly used expressions is “the wind of change.” It was used by the rock band "Scorpions" in the title of the musical composition "Wind Of Change", which sings about the end of the Cold War and the fall of the Berlin Wall. The expression “wind of change” was often used during perestroika when describing party ideology and reforms that took place in 1985-1991. in the USSR on the initiative of M. Gorbachev. The phrase gained popularity and began to be actively used after the visit of British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan to the countries of the Union of South Africa during his 6-week tour. On February 3, 1960, the head of the British government gave a speech “Wind of Change” before the parliament of the future South Africa in Cape Town. In it, Macmillan, on behalf of the Conservative Party, made it clear that Great Britain did not intend to interfere with the decolonization of a number of African territories in order to grant them independence. The Prime Minister's speech was a harbinger of the freedom and political changes that were beginning to take place in the Union of South Africa. "The wind of change is blowing across this continent," Macmillan said, confirming that Britain is ready to transform its foreign policy. The British recognized the growing national consciousness of Africans and the need to fight apartheid. February 3, the date of the Prime Minister's speech, is considered the birthday of the phrase "Wind of Change." Macmillan made his first speech on the independence of the British colonies on January 10, 1960 in Ghana (formerly the Gold Coast). The words of the representative of the Conservative Party did not cause much reaction from the local population and the press. In Cape Town, MacMillan's performance attracted greater public attention. The British were concerned about clashes between African nationalists and white settlers in French Algeria and the Belgian Congo. Macmillan's speech was a result of the colonists' fears that similar protests could spread to the British colonies. The world media called 1960 “the year of Africa” because, thanks to the winds of change, many territories gained independence. In 1961, South Africa was formed and Tanganyika (modern Tanzania) switched to self-government, 1962 - Uganda, 1963 - Kenya. After Macmillan's speech, South African Prime Minister Henrik Vervoord, who announced a referendum and vote for the country's independence, was attacked twice. Among the local residents there were people who perceived the Prime Minister's speech as a betrayal and "cynical abandonment of the white settlers." These were Europeans for whom Africa became a second home. Nelson Mandela, the black civil rights leader, praised Macmillan's "Winds of Change" as a stunning speech. The African quest for freedom and equality after February 3, 1960 could no longer be stopped. In honor of the significant event, the proclamation of Great Britain's course towards decolonization, the Birthday of the phrase "Wind of Change" was established.