April 18: Day of Historical and Cultural Monuments of Ukraine, International Jugglers' Day

Today, on April 18, all connoisseurs of Ukrainian historical and cultural heritage, as well as those who protect it, are joining various events on the occasion of the Day of Historical and Cultural Monuments of Ukraine, UNN reports.

The event was launched in 1999. The date was chosen due to the fact that the International Day of Monuments and Sites is held on April 18 at the initiative of the United Nations.

Ukraine's cultural heritage, which includes more than 70,000 sites in more than 1,400 settlements, is vast and diverse, requiring constant and concerted efforts to preserve it.

21 sites are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Russian military aggression has caused serious damage to Ukraine's cultural heritage. According to the Ministry of Culture, over the two years of the war, the enemy destroyed or damaged 1,046 cultural heritage sites, including 128 of national importance.

April 18 is the day the Red Cross Society was founded in Ukraine. It was on this day in 1918 that the first congress of the Society was held in Kyiv thanks to the St. Mary's Community of Sisters of Charity.

For a long time, the main tasks of the Red Cross Society in Ukraine were to fight tuberculosis and AIDS, to engage the public in donation, to help victims of the Chernobyl disaster, etc.

However, the Russian invasion has significantly changed priorities. Today, the Red Cross Society in Ukraine provides humanitarian aid to IDPs and people in the liberated cities, organizes evacuations, assists in the aftermath of shelling and missile attacks, and so on.

Today, fans of circus arts can join the celebration of the International Juggler's Day.

The idea of juggling is believed to have originated in ancient times, most likely in Ancient Egypt. Later, the warriors of ancient China used juggling weapons as a method of frightening the enemy.

In the Middle Ages, juggling developed into a circus genre, so it is included in the list of the oldest types of circus activities. Nowadays, juggling is often a complement to clowning, acrobatics, training, etc.

Most often they juggle balls and maces. Masters of this circus art can juggle with knives or other dangerous objects.

Today is also World Amateur Radio Day. The event is dedicated to the establishment of the International Amateur Radio Union on April 18, 1925.

The purpose of today's event is to engage like-minded people and technology specialists in joint development and popularize amateur radio activities.

Thanks to the efforts of radio amateurs, the world has seen many technologies, such as the first mode of communication - AMTOR, which allowed high-quality transmission of text information.

Today, fans of delicious food can join the celebration of the International Pizza Cake Day.

It is believed that the first pizza cake was baked in the 17th century by François Gundermo for the wedding of an aristocratic couple. The wedding guests liked this peculiar pizza, but it never gained wide popularity.

The pizza cake was given a second life in 2014 thanks to a Canadian pizza chain.

Even today, many countries around the world are holding various events to mark Autism Awareness Day.

Society has a strong image that autism is a child's problem. However, children with autism grow up and need support, acceptance, and often help in adulthood.

Adults with autism may face certain difficulties related to employment, relationships, and daily living, and may need support and accommodations to successfully overcome these challenges.

According to the church calendar, today is the Day of Remembrance of St. Cosmas, who lived in the 9th century in Byzantium.

From a young age, Kosma decided to devote his life to serving the Lord, took monastic vows, and later became a bishop.

Cosmas was a strong opponent of the iconoclasts. He refused to obey the emperor's order to remove the icons from the church. For this he was thrown into prison, where he spent a long time.

Today, Kuzma, Vasyl, Anton, Ivan, and Tamara celebrate their name days.