Ivana Kupala Day
Ivana Kupala Day is the day of summer solstice celebrated in Russia and Ukraine on July, 7 in the Gregorian or New Style calendar, which is currently the 24-th of June in the Julian or Old Style calendar still used by many of the Orthodox Churches.
This is a pagan fertility rite, which has been accepted into the Orthodox Christian calendar. It is a traditional midsummer day in Western Europe with which some pre-Christian traditions have been associated. It is opposed to the winter solstice holiday, or Korochun.
The name of this holiday combines the words Ivan (the Slavic name of John the Baptist), and "Kupala", a word derived from the Slavic word for bathing, as it was the first day of the year when the church sanctioned bathing and swimming in rivers and ponds.
There is an ancient belief that the Eve of Ivan Kupala is the only time of the year when the ferns are blooming. Whoever ... Read more »

6 July is National Kissing Day in the United Kingdom. This holiday has recently been adopted worldwide making July 6 the International Kissing Day or World Kiss Day.
The idea behind the International Kissing Day is that many people may have forgotten the simple pleasures associated with kissing for kissing's sake, as opposed to kissing as mere social formality or prelude to other activities. Kissing can be an enjoyable experience in and of itself. It is an expression and experience of intimacy. International Kissing Day is not as commercialized as Valentine's Day.

The Kyiv-Mohyla Academy is one of the oldest and the most distinguished academic and theological schools in Eastern Europe. It was established in 1632 by Petro Mohyla, a Metropolitan of Kiev and Galicia. It played an important role in transmitting Renaissance ideals from Western Europe through Poland to Ukraine and Russia.
The Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, the school's predecessor, was established in 1632. The NaUKMA is located on the Academy's grounds in the ancient Podil neighborhood. In 1991, it was re-organized, and teaching began the following year. NaUKMA has the highest level of accreditation as outlined by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and is one of the thirteen educational institutions in Ukraine having a status of a research and autonomous university. NaUKMA takes part in numerous international university collaborations, such as the European University Association. The university is bilingual in Uk... Read more »

The village of Dilove located on the Tisza river, close to the Romanian border, in the district of Rakhiv in the Transcarpathian region contains a historical marker and a large stone believed to mark the geographic centre of Europe as measured in 1887 by geographers from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The township today is a part of Ukraine. The interpretation of the worn Latin inscription on the monument is debated, with some claiming that the marker is merely one of a number of fixed triangulation points for surveying purposes established around the territory of the former Empire. The external borders of Europe taken into account during the calculations are not known. According to the description, the methodology used for the calculation is that of the geometrical middle point of the extreme latitudes and longitudes of Europe, so the stone was located at 48Р’В°30'N 23Р’В°23'E.

What does it mean to drink "na pososhok"? This tradition is very old. Visitors who were coming from far away lands had a staff, or walking stick, known in russian as a "posoh", It had a hollowed out hole on top. A glass of vodka was usually placed in that hole. If the visitor was able to drink the vodka and not touch the glass with his hands, it meant, that his guest was still ok and could get home on his own without too much trouble. But if the glass should fall out, it's taken as an indication to put his friend up for the night.

Tracks of the most ancient civilization in the world were found near the Trypillia village that is situated in Ukraine, 40 km from Kyiv. Trypillians lived on the Earth in the period 5,400 - 2,700 BC. The two most prominent features of the Trypillian civilization are the colorful ornamental pottery and the big proto-cities. Trypillians are known as civilization of farmers: they raised livestock (mostly cattle, but also pigs and sheep) and cultivated the land.

Ukrainian constitution is the oldest in the world
The Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk or Pacts and Constitutions of Rights and Freedoms of the Zaporizhian Host, was a 1710 constitutional document written by Hetman Pylyp Orlyk. The Constitution also limited the executive authority of the hetman, and established a democratically elected Cossack parliament called the General Council. Pylyp Orlyk's Constitution was unique for its historic period, and was one of the first state constitutions in Europe.

National artist of Ukraine Vladimir Talashko was awarded a memorial medal
Vladimir Talashko is one of the most important film actor of 70-80s. He starred in several tens of films. As a president of the International festival of the youth theatre, which took place in Dnepropetrovsk city from 19th to 24th April, he was awarded a memorial medal.
On 24th April on the stage of Dnepropetrovsk theatre named after Gorkiy, during the Ceremonial finish of XVІІІ International festival of the youth theatres "RAMPA-2010”, the chairman of Administration of Culture and Tourism of Dnepropetrovsk Regional State Administration Nataliya Pershyna, by instructions of the chairman of Regional State Administration Aleksandr Vilkul, awarded to Vladimir Talashko a memorial medal for the ponderable contribution to Dnepropetrovsk region development.
"A decision to ... Read more »

Happy Birthday, Special Treasure
God gave a gift to the world when you were born— a person who loves, who cares, who sees a person’s need and fills it, who encourages and lifts people up, who spends energy on others rather than herself, someone who touches each life she enters, and makes a difference in the world, because ripples of kindness flow outward as each person you have touched, touches others. Your birthday deserves to be a national holiday, because you are a special treasure for all that you’ve done. May the love you have shown to others return to you, multiplied. I wish you the happiest of birthdays, and many, many more, so that others have time to appreciate you as much as I do.

Today is a truly global holiday, which can be celebrated by each person. This is Earth Day. Founder of this festival is the American Senator G. Nelson, who in 1970 suggested the need for a day devoted to our common planet. Since then, this festival is celebrated annually in many countries on the 22nd of April.