Today, January 22, we are witnessing a special date in the history of Ukraine – the Day of Unity and Freedom. This holiday marks two key moments in the history of the country: the proclamation of the Ukrainian People's Republic and the signing of the Act of Unification of Ukrainian Lands. WomanEL invites you to consider this important event and traditions of celebration.
ContentHistorical eventsInteresting factsHistory of celebrationSymbolic events
Historical events
It was on January 22, 106 years ago, that Ukrainians took a decisive step – they declared independence and created the Ukrainian People's Republic. A year later, on the same day, the Act of Union of the UPR and WUNR took place, which determined the borders and form of government of a single country. These events are a symbol of the desire for unity and freedom of Ukrainians.
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Interesting facts
- Unification of the republics. The Act of Union of 1919, which was supposed to unite the UPR and WUNR, became an important historical step. However, conflicts among the leaders led to a break and unification did not occur.
- The bourgeois-democratic nature of the WUNR. The conflict with the radicalized national socialist UPR led to a break between the West and the East.
- Soviet periodDuring the Soviet regime, Unification Day was ignored, and its celebration was considered “counter-revolutionary.”
History of the celebration
- The holiday receives status. Unity Day received official status in 1999 by decree of President Leonid Kuchma.
- Changes in format and content. In 2011, President Viktor Yanukovych changed the format and content of the holiday, declaring it Unity Day and Freedom of Ukraine.
- The tradition of the “human chain”. Since 1990, Ukrainians have been organizing a “human chain”, which has become a symbol of national unity. This tradition is an important part of the celebration and continues today.
The human chain in 1990 played a decisive role in the restoration of the Ukrainian state. People united, holding each other's hands, to symbolically demonstrate the unity of Ukraine on the path of independence.
The Ukrainian Wave action was organized by the People's Movement of Ukraine under the leadership of Ivan Drach and the Secretariat. The “human chain” stretched from Ivano-Frankivsk to Kyiv, uniting different regions of Ukraine. About 450 thousand people took part in the “chain”, according to unofficial estimates – from 1 to 5 million. After the successful implementation of the “Human Chain”, prayer rallies were held in different cities, which emphasized the importance of this action for the national unity and independence of Ukraine.
Symbolic events
- Commemorative coin. In honor of the centenary of the Act of Unification in 2019, the National Bank introduced into circulation a commemorative coin with a face value of 5 hryvnia “100 years of the Act of Unification — conciliarity of the Ukrainian lands.”
- Prayers for Ukrainian strength. On this day, Ukrainians around the world perform prayers for the blessing of their country.
< p>Unification Day of Ukraine is not only a historical holiday, but also an important moment in modern statehood. Celebrating this day, Ukrainians express their support for national unity and independence.
By the way, we recently talked about International Hug Day.