As long as the history of mankind has existed, so much has been the fiercest struggle for rich fertile lands with mineral deposits. There is violence and war everywhere. An example of this is the events last year: continuous skirmishes, military conflicts, numerous civil wars, unwillingness to negotiate peacefully, struggle for power. All this clearly emphasizes the great importance of such a holiday as the World Day of Peace.

There are many different words, there are gentle, beautiful, sometimes unkind and evil. But the most important are happiness and peace!

World Peace Day 21 September

Peace is everywhere in the world - what could be more important? People crave it so much. How wonderful to live alone friendly family, send children to school every day, enjoy the new day that has come and breathe clean air. Peace has always been and is the need of all mankind.

All the people of our planet celebrate the World Day of Peace on September 21 as a rejection of violence and fratricidal wars. This decision was made in 2001. All countries, without exception, received a proposal that day to stop all military operations without shedding blood for at least 24 hours, and to carry out actions related to the problems of the world. Only by peaceful means can the goal of compromise solutions be achieved, benefiting all of humanity.

The main purpose of the holiday is to draw great attention of mankind to achieving the stability of the world without any threats and violence, guaranteeing the future of our beautiful planet - the Earth. In this regard, such events are being held, with the help of which it is possible to show people how many ridiculous deaths exist in our society, how much hatred and evil. The bright smiling sun drawn by the children and the song about friendship performed by them call on all those who "play" with weapons to give them up in the name of peace and prosperity.

International Day of Peace is an important holiday. It is on this day that the call for peace takes place. After all, the manifestation of aggression and war will not help solve problems, they only complicate life even more, bringing with them death, misfortune and grief. "Peace to the world!" - shout in all languages. He must live always and everywhere on the planet!

World Peace Day: the history of the holiday

What all nations aspire to is peace. The real embodiment of such a desire was created at the end of the most inhuman war in the history of 1939-1945. The main thing in the work of this organization was the establishment of good neighborly relations between states and the preservation of peace.

World Peace Day was approved by the UN General Assembly in 1981. Only twenty years later, they decided to celebrate the Day of a complete ceasefire every year on September 21.

This holiday is conceived by the General Assembly. It is a symbol of the complete rejection of violent manifestations and the complete cessation of any hostilities. On the Day of Peace, each person should awaken in himself the desire to think about the deeds he has done and what he has made an investment in preserving peace.

A lot of time has elapsed since then. But history world day the world is not forgotten. This holiday covers more and more countries, where, with the help of various organizations, actions are held that make people think that peace on earth is not yet strong and something needs to be done to preserve it.

Ceremony to celebrate the International Day of Peace

Every year, the holiday ceremony begins at exactly ten o'clock near the Peace Bell, which Japan presented to the UN in 1954. It was installed in New York in the most beautiful place in the garden. This unique bell was cast using coins collected by children from sixty countries of the world, as well as various awards of people: medals, orders.

The ceremony lasts about 15 minutes. First, he strikes the bell and delivers a speech in which he addresses the peoples of the entire planet and calls for at least a moment to think about how invaluable the world is. Then there is a moment of silence, after which the President of the Security Council speaks.

A moment of silence has become the most common way to mark the International Day of Peace. To commemorate this, schools and civic associations hold their ceremonies and events, the meaning of which lies in the joint reflection of all people about the meaning of peace on Earth. Maybe someone will make the right decision and thereby help to establish universal peace on the entire planet.

A world without threats and violence

World Peace Day calls on people to unite and share responsibility for good neighborly relations, to overcome their own needs for violence, to awaken in themselves a consciousness that will help them abandon violent methods.

Every person is obliged to have a sound mind and realize the meaning of his life. How nice it is to call and hear the voice of a loved one, to see the mischievous sparks in the eyes of a child, to respond to the misfortune of a homeless person, or just sit by the fire, inhaling pure coolness, and allow your soul to fly into a beautiful world free from cruelty and lust for power.

It is especially necessary to arouse in people an understanding of how much peace and complete disarmament are needed. The future human community of the Earth should not have any forms of violence: religious, racial, economic, physical, psychological.
Every person on the globe has every right to be free and live in peace.

Peace on Earth is a guarantee of the future

Peace is impossible without great human friendship, mutual understanding and respect for each other by people with different political views, social status, different by nationality and race.

The complete preservation of well-being on Earth is the only true task that can unite all world communities.

Celebrating the World Day of Peace, we must unite into a single human family, setting ourselves the goal of ensuring international, interregional and local peace, so that no shots can disturb the peace and silence of our homes, and save the planet for all future generations.

What are international holidays? These are events of worldwide importance. It is not surprising, because our entire planet celebrates them, regardless of nationality, citizenship or religious beliefs. So where do they come from? What dates are included?

Most holidays are a consequence of the work of UNESCO and the UN

There are many such events today. Many of them appeared, by the way, quite recently, thanks to the initiative of the UN and UNESCO. Although some international holidays arose so long ago that even historians cannot understand where these traditions came from. For others, these events are so familiar that they simply celebrate them from year to year, without thinking about anything.

The uniqueness of such holidays lies in the fact that each person gets the opportunity to become one of the participants in the international movement, "touching the world civilization." In a word, these events unite all countries of the world into one whole, promote mutual understanding and friendship of peoples.

So many holidays...

People of various nationalities celebrate a wide variety of events every year. Sometimes international holidays are simply striking in their originality. For example, what is the World World Even more fun - International Toilet Day!

These events can be celebrated in different ways. The main thing is not to forget about creativity!

International holidays open the coming year

So, the very first event! New Year celebrate of course the whole world! In general, international holidays in January are very common. These include Customs Day, Hug Day, and Thank You Day. However, the New Year is the most popular, long-awaited and beloved holiday.

The custom of meeting this day was born back in the third millennium AD in Mesopotamia. People celebrated this event, accompanying it with various processions, masquerades and carnivals. On this day, it was impossible to work or judge courts.

Slowly, the tradition of celebrating the New Year gained more and more scope. Following the Mesopotamians, this idea was seized initially by the Jews, after them by the Greeks and, in the end, by the peoples of Western Europe.

This holiday appeared in the Soviet Union. Its author was Mikhail Gorbachev. The first president of the USSR acted, so to speak, according to a certain plan. To begin with, a “dry law” was established, making all men sober. After that, they were presented with their own holiday. Apparently, it was necessary to celebrate it "with glasses of kefir in hands." Officially, the holiday was approved at the beginning of the 21st century. However, no one celebrates it as widely as International Women's Day. The thing is that not everyone knows about this holiday. However, over the past ten years, several specific traditions have been attached to this event. On this day, at work, men are sure to be congratulated, warm words are spoken, and even awards are given for outstanding contributions to the development of the country. For them, they arrange concerts and organize all kinds of competitions.

This holiday is celebrated every year on the first Saturday of November by more and more people. It is quite possible that soon this event will be on a par with such well-known dates as January 1 or March 8.

In addition, like women, men have a few more holidays. These include Brother's Day, Father's Day, etc.

Holidays for pranksters

For people with a good sense of humor, there is also a world famous date. International more precisely, their list, it is she who opens. On the first day, people with great pleasure play each other, joke, laugh and have fun. This custom appeared many, many years ago in France.

This tradition has been preserved to this day. By the way, some historians argue that this date was not chosen by chance. Nature in early April is very capricious. Therefore, people try, as it were, to “appease” her with their various practical jokes and jokes.

A date has also been allocated for labor shock workers!

There are also international days and holidays created to support working people. "Peace! Work! May!" - a phrase familiar to everyone. This holiday appeared in 1886 in Chicago. On May 1, the workers of the city gathered together to organize a strike and demand a reduction in the working day.

In 1889, a decision was made in Paris to hold annual May Day demonstrations. Well, in 1890 this holiday was celebrated in Belgium, Denmark, Austria-Hungary, Germany, USA, Italy, Spain, Sweden, France, Norway... For a long time, May Day was considered the so-called symbol of the revolution. And today it is included in the number of ordinary events. And it is celebrated like other simplest international days and holidays. Interestingly, May Day is recognized in 66 countries around the world.

For the younger generation - a holiday

Another famous event is Knowledge Day, which is celebrated all over the world on September 1st. This is a sea of ​​white bows and flowers, excitement and laughter. For future first-graders and graduates is a particularly long-awaited holiday.

The beginning of every new school year noted by all schoolchildren, students, teachers. Not a single holiday is complete without a solemn line dedicated to the next stage in the life of each of them. Teachers desire for children the knowledge and wisdom that will enable them to cope with any occasional turmoil.

Songs and dances, poems and acrobatic performances - students demonstrate their talents to those present, thus delivering great pleasure.

Old people - special respect

International holidays in October delight us with such an event as the Day of the Elderly. It has been celebrated on the 1st day since 1991.

V different countries celebrate this day in their own way. Various concerts, festivals and conferences dedicated to their rights are organized for the elderly. And in the Scandinavian countries, programs are broadcast on television throughout the day, taking into account the tastes of the heroes of the occasion.

Various public organizations and foundations are also organizing all sorts of charity events. In a word, the higher authorities are trying to provide a better, more varied, fulfilling and satisfying life for the elderly at least on this day.

There are a variety of international holidays in October. However, it deserves, perhaps, special respect.

In support of those who are especially hard

International holidays in December are also distinguished by their diversity. One of them is aimed at fighting AIDS. However, it is, of course, difficult to call an event related to such a serious problem a holiday, because the number of people diagnosed with HIV is growing every year. Most often, young people suffer from this terrible disease. Accordingly, various concerts of popular pop singers are organized for them on December 1. At such events, the results of various studies aimed at combating AIDS are also often voiced.

International holidays in December include other charitable events. Among them are the Day of the Disabled, the Day of Helping the Poor, the Day of Innocent Babies, etc.

The importance of international holidays

So, opening the calendar, you can be amazed, paying attention to how many events are celebrated by almost all countries of the world at the same time. Somewhere they are celebrated on a grand scale, somewhere - modestly and almost imperceptibly. However, in any case, positive emotions are guaranteed to people.

International holidays are of great importance. They erase the boundaries of cultural differences, unite people from all over the world. Joy and fun make them closer and closer to each other. As a result, every inhabitant of our planet can join the world civilization, become a member of the common celebration!

For those who are not accustomed to the culture of other peoples, other people's holidays will seem at least surprising, and at most - strange. The traditions of other countries are exotic only for us, but for local population- habitual and deeply own.

What is this article about?

Today we'll talk about unusual traditions different countries. There are such interesting holidays of the world that not everyone can understand their meaning. But we will still try to do it.

In the article we have collected interesting holidays in different countries of the world and below we will try to briefly talk about each of them. Of course, this information does not claim to be complete. The list below is far from exhaustive. Yes, and it is impossible to cite one within the framework of one article. But we will try to list at least the most famous ones.

Most of them exist in the form of folk festivals, some - as any kind of competition. At the same time, great importance is not attached to victories, the main thing is fun and originality. The most important thing for the participants is to have a good time.

In the United States, one of them, called the International Pirate Day, arose and quickly spread around the world (glory to the Internet!) Once a year, namely on September 19, on the streets of any cities of the Earth you can meet characters in bandanas and with black armbands, hear gibberish about "piastres" and "a thousand devils".

The prudish British, breaking the stereotype, invented the world championship of rye. This disgrace is arranged in a city called Egremont (according to unverified data - as far back as 1297). The time of its holding is also September. Fans from all over the world come to make scary faces. The title of the absolute champion belongs to a certain Peter Jackson, who for the sake of victory disfigured himself - pulled out his teeth completely.

What other holidays will we consider? Here is a short list:

• Monkey banquet.
• Festival of colors.
• Feast of the naked.
• Tapati.
• Aphelio.
• Gentlemen's Championship.
• Tomato battle.
• Summer Redneck Games and others.

What about in the East?

In Thailand (Lopburi province), a banquet is held annually, nicknamed the monkey. Six hundred "invited" feast, overeating vegetables and fruits in honor of the god Rama. According to legend, it was the monkeys that helped him achieve victory over the enemy.

And in India (New Delhi) is held in honor of the arrival of spring, called the festival of colors. It symbolizes the expulsion of evil and the rebirth of life. At the end of winter, on the new moon (according to legend, this is the day of the death of the evil demon Holika), bonfires are lit in every city - a symbol of the end of winter and the departure of evil spirits. The effigy of Holiki is burned in the fire, and fruits with grains are also thrown there.

The next morning (they celebrate for two whole days) it is customary to have fun, dousing each other with colored water and throwing paints in powders.

And in Japan?

Japan is not far behind. The day, called the Feast of the Naked, has been celebrated since 767. Men come to the temple (23-43 years old and about 3000 in number), wearing only loincloths. According to legend, you can get rid of misfortunes and troubles by touching a naked person.

Having accepted purification within the walls of the temple, the naked march through the city and allow anyone who wants to touch them. There are always plenty of those. But it's quite cold in Japan in February, so the members have to warm up with sake. The original name of the holiday is Hadaka Matsuri.

In Japan, it is believed that cold is a means of hardening the body and purifying the soul. Therefore, the culmination of the action is fights and dousing with ice water.

...and Easter Island

They know how to have fun on the Chilean Easter Island. Tapati is the name of the festival of worship of ancestors. The inhabitants of the island dance in special costumes and compete in the race with banana bundles - both men and women.

A mandatory procedure is the solemn selection of the queen. Indispensable qualities for a contender for the title are beauty and diligence. It is required to prove to a strict jury that a lot of fish have been caught and a lot of cloth has been woven.

Let's go back to Europe

England boasts the Gentlemen's Olympics. It is held annually in the open air by representatives of London clubs. The purpose of the event is to remind people of gentlemanship.

Interesting facts about the holidays of the world can be gleaned by studying history. In Scotland (the city of Lerwick) a holiday called Aphelio is celebrated. In another way, it is called the Great Fire Festival and is considered one of the most unique.

To conduct it, a model of a Viking ship 9 meters high is being built. On his nose is a traditional dragon. The task of the Viking squad is to carry the ship to the sea. The procession is accompanied by torches and bugles and has almost a thousand participants. In a certain place, a wooden boat is set on fire - this is part of the ancient rite of farewell to the fallen soldiers.

The holiday is dedicated to the Vikings, who landed near the Scottish coast in the 9th century and left their mark on history. It is celebrated in January, on the last Tuesday.

They throw tomatoes at you

Tomatina (battle of tomatoes) is a Spanish festival in honor of the end of summer (at the end of August), taking place in the small town of Bunyol in the east of the country. The folk festival consists of dancing, fireworks, loud music and free treats. It all ends with a tomato battle.

Trucks arrive at the city square with a huge amount of tomatoes, which are usually thrown at each other. Throwing other objects is prohibited. Tomato rivers flow through the streets, the doors and windows of houses are covered with plastic, the townspeople bathe in a pool filled with tomato juice.

What about in America?

The annual Summer Redneck Games festival boasts the highlight of the program - a competition to fall into liquid clay. Fans are not embarrassed by dirty rain irrigation, the next sonorous immersion of a participant in a puddle is greeted with deafening cries.

In the center of Boston, Canada, "zombies" appear once a year - one day is dedicated to their march every year. "Dead" in rubber masks and "bloody" suits roam in search of "victims". I don't think this show is for the faint of heart...

Much more positive, in our opinion, is the Havana (Cuba) Cigar Festival, which has international status. It attracts manufacturers and exporters from 47 countries. The program consists of concerts, exhibitions, presentations, visits to tobacco plantations. All events are on the theme of Cuban cigars.

In - the world jazz capital - in May-April, the world-famous Jazz Fest is traditionally held - one of the most grandiose jazz festivals. Performers perform in indoor and outdoor venues and just on the streets. At the same time, dishes of the famous New Orleans cuisine are sold everywhere - oysters, lobsters, fried eggplants.

What other interesting holidays are there in the world? The list can be continued indefinitely. We decided to go through separate topics.

Thematic holidays

Iceland boasts (March 1). The duty of the participants on this day is to drink as much as it fits. On this day in 1989, the Prohibition, which had been in effect for 75 years, was repealed. Beer Day is celebrated in bars and restaurants across the country, with most of the active participants being students. Zucchini and pubs are open until the morning, and the number of participants does not decrease, despite the impressive prices.

If you want to taste high-quality English whiskey, go to the festival of the same name in Scotland. This drink is the national pride of the Scots, and a whole series of themed festivals are held in the country every spring.

Once a year, the most prestigious producers of this drink open the doors of their factories to ordinary visitors, for whom the entrance is closed at other times. Crowds of people flock to the whiskey tasting.

The festival program includes meetings with collectors, exchange of experience, excursions and sports competitions. Participants can take up hammer or log throwing, as well as perform at a fashion show in kilts - Scottish skirts.

Flowers - where without them?

If we ignore the alcohol theme, then other equally interesting holidays in the world are dedicated to flowers. So, in Holland in September you can watch the most spectacular spectacle - a solemn procession of flower platforms along the city streets. What is not here! Floral arrangements imitate animals and fairy-tale characters; the procession stretches for a couple of kilometers. This event is known throughout the world as one of the most beautiful and unforgettable flower shows.

Flowers are loved not only in Europe. In the north of Thailand in February, a beautiful and very impressive flower festival is held annually. The celebration continues for three days.

The city is filled with millions of exotic flowers. Beauties sew national costumes to participate in the competition for the title of flower queen. From morning to evening, events are in full swing - fairs, exhibitions, festive processions.

Not to mention the Tulip Festival, held annually in early May in Ottawa. The Canadian capital is drowning in a sea of ​​bright tulips, traditionally sent from Holland as a token of gratitude for help in the fight against the fascist regime. Tulips thus serve as an international symbol of friendship and a sign of spring.

Japan is not far behind. A spring event is dedicated to admiring cherry blossoms - an unofficial holiday that is not on the calendar. But, despite this, a huge number of people gather in the parks, squares and temples of Japan to catch a short period of its flowering. It is customary to admire sakura in the evenings and during the day. The trees are beautifully illuminated, and walking along the alleys is perceived romantically, despite the crowds of people.

Lights and lanterns

Since we have touched on the topic of lighting, let's remember the most interesting holidays in the world dedicated to light. The Berlin Festival of Light leaves a lot of impressions. Every year in October, the city shines with light installations for a couple of weeks. You seem to be in fairy tale- the facades of houses and monuments are decorated with a myriad of light bulbs and lanterns, fireworks, spotlights and laser shows are everywhere.

In Spain, there is also the most beautiful fireworks, which takes place in March. This is where the pyrotechnics unfold with might and main! You will probably not see such special effects anywhere else.

In Florence (Italy) they celebrate - every year in September, starting from the 17th century. It is customary to associate it with the birthday of the Virgin Mary, highly revered by the Italians.

It is historically customary to organize fairs and processions from paper lanterns with candles in them.

...and other

But, for example, in the mythology of China, one of the central places is given to dragons. And in honor of these creatures in the city of Weifang, an event called the International Kite Festival is organized every April. At the same time, a lively trade is organized in the city and many culinary fairs are organized.

In general, there is always a reason for fun - there would be a desire. If you dig, you will find interesting world holidays in December, January and any other month of the year.

Eat and drink

Are you hungry yet while reading this article? Probably everyone wants to know about the interesting holidays of the world dedicated to food. Well, one of them is the Swiss gourmet festival (the city of St. Moritz). It is held for five whole days at the famous ski resort. The restaurants of the town are known no less than its ski slopes.

Haute cuisine is demonstrated to guests at the famous "Top of the World" at 1800 meters above sea level. They come to their professional holiday world-class chefs, and in the kitchen, simply miracles begin to happen - there is no other way to say it.

In the best hotels in the city - non-stop culinary reviews, tastings and gala dinners. Guests are invited to be present during the preparation of delicacies and taste the results here. The highlight of the program is a dinner for 300 people.

Moving to Germany

Who has not heard of the famous Oktoberfest - the largest in the world. Its location is the Bavarian capital - Munich. The festival opens in September for 16 days.

Traditionally, at the opening ceremony, the mayor of the city uncorks a barrel of beer. This is the start of the beer marathon. All 16 days people destroy beer and enjoy the show program. What is not here! From costumed parades to shooters' parades, from concerts to horse races. Next to the beer, dancers in traditional Bavarian leather pants are tap dancing.

During these days, about 7,000,000 liters of beer are drunk and about 84 bulls and a million and a half sausages and fried chickens are eaten. There are 363 additional souvenir shops. The number of tourists coming from all over the world exceeds seven million. The holiday is broadcast on live, and he is among those that are included in the Guinness Book of Records for his scope.

Then to France

And what are the interesting holidays of the world in November? After waiting for this month, you can go to France for the feast of young wine. It starts at the initiative of winemakers from the town of Bozho. With torches made of vines, they march to the city square, where new wine in barrels is already waiting.

Midnight is the time when the plugs are knocked out, and Beaujolais Nouveau can begin to be enjoyed. In millions of bottles, young wine travels to shops, cafes and restaurants in all cities and countries. Manufacturers compete to see who can deliver the goods faster.

Not by bread alone...

But what about spiritual food? Here are interesting holidays of the world dedicated to spectacles.

In the world of cinema, of course, the championship for the Cannes Film Festival (France). This is a prestigious and widely publicized event. For 10 days, Cannes gathers both stars and professionals from the world of cinema, as well as fans of the big screen from all over the world.

Interesting in June replenishes such a cultural event as the holding of the Munich Opera Festival (Germany). This is a unique cultural phenomenon on a global scale. It lasts for about a month, starting in June. The place of the main action is the National Theater of Bavaria.

Over 80,000 tickets are sold for the event. In front of the theater on the square, an additional large screen is mounted for free viewing to 14,000 more spectators.

The repertoire of the festival includes the best performances - both new and past seasons, festival premieres of any opera genre. World-class performers perform.

Other events

Mention should also be made of the Venice (i.e. held in Italy) International Film Festival - one of the oldest events of this level. And also about the "Berlinal" - a similar event in Berlin, held in February and attracting the attention of all of Europe. This is a stronghold of auteur and highly intellectual cinema, the jury includes many writers, directors, actors and famous cultural figures. At least 200,000 people visit it.

And, of course, the presentation of the Oscar itself - in the United States. Perhaps this is the most significant award in the world of cinema, and the celebration organized in honor of this event by the American Film Academy at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles is a world-class event.

Summing up

As we can see, the most interesting holidays in the world are for every taste - from folk festivals with rude customs to world-class cultural events. What other events have we not mentioned in our review?

Probably, giving information about the most interesting holidays in the world and their brief description, it is simply criminal to ignore the famous carnivals in Rio de Janeiro and Venice. What can be said here? Any carnival is a crazy cocktail of costumes, flowers, music and dances. The Rio Carnival is actually a parade of samba schools organized by the city's Ministry of Tourism.

Each of the schools draws up its own mobile platform, thinks through costumes and performances. The winner is awarded a solid cash prize, and the prestige of the school immediately skyrockets.

But what about in Russia?

Speaking about interesting holidays in the countries of the world, we have never mentioned our country.

About the holiday of the White Nights (its other name is Scarlet Sails), perhaps every graduate of the school has heard. The action takes place in St. Petersburg at the end of June.

At night in the summer in St. Petersburg it is light as during the day. The White Nights holiday is a romantic time dedicated to the end of school. As a climax in the waters of the Neva, a ship appears with scarlet sails, and fantastic fireworks bloom in the sky.

As you can see, there are interesting holidays in the world for every day. Whatever date you take - somewhere in the world people are sure to have fun and celebrate something. And life only benefits from this!