Every second Russian has a relative in Ukraine, every third Ukrainian has relatives in Belarus, and every fourth Belarusian knows a Pole or Slovak. We are all Slavs, and we celebrate the Day of Friendship and Unity of the Slavs on June 25.
Who are the Slavs
Probably few people do not know who the Slavs are. Let's broaden our horizons by talking about some of the features of this group of peoples.
There is no greater community in the world than the Slavs. We inhabit the entire European and partly Asian continent. Our compatriots live in all corners of the world. If you collect all who can be considered Slavs, then there will be about 370 million people in the world.
The Day of Friendship and Unity of the Slavs is celebrated by those who remember their roots and who, at least indirectly, honor the cultural values of the people. Once settled in Europe, the people of one community were divided into three groups: the Western Slavs, which include the inhabitants of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia; southern - territories of the countries of the Mediterranean coast of Europe, with the exception of the Greeks; eastern - congenial Russians, Belarusians,Ukrainians.
History of Russians
Now, wondering where the Day of Friendship and Unity of the Slavs comes from, few people can unequivocally answer how it happened that so many different nationalities came out of one nation. Historians only suggest the true reasons for the settlement and division of one people, although there is still no reliable data.
Before the modern world, individual Slavic peoples lived very scattered and did not have their own territory. Until the 19th century, all were collected within the borders of the three largest empires. The only exceptions were the Montenegrins, who initially had an independent state, and the Lusatians, who occupy an autonomous region within Germany.
And it was only after 1945 that many separate states were created that announced their intention to write their history within independent borders. Today, the Day of Friendship and Unity of the Slavs is an opportunity to remember what unites different countries, different languages and the belief that we have the same roots of a large family tree that will never sag under the onslaught of invaders.
History of the holiday
It is difficult to determine the period when all the Slavs lived on the same territory and had a common language, culture and traditions. Some historians believe that this time was partially captured by the period of the formation of Kievan Rus. Be that as it may, Cyril and Methodius are considered the founders of Slavic writing, and their activities became the reason for the holiday, the Day of Friendship and Unity of the Slavs. The history of Equal-to-the-Apostles people begins with the fact that these two holy martyrsstreamlined all the church writing that existed at that time, as a result of which one language arose, called Old Church Slavonic.
Such different peoples with the same roots
For a long time, truly Slavic values have changed under the influence of Western cultures. This could not but affect the traditions, beliefs and holidays. So, for example, almost all Slavs are Christians, but Bosnians stand out among all. They converted to Islam back in the days when they were captured by the Ottoman Empire.
The Day of Friendship and Unity of the Slavs was created in order to revive what was lost hundreds of centuries ago, to remember those things that our ancestors believed in, and finally begin to be proud of folk wisdom.
Where and how to celebrate
The tradition of celebrating the holiday originated not so long ago. It was customary to celebrate June 25 as the Day of Friendship and Unity of the Slavs. Every year, the folk festival takes place in the place where the three borders of the most friendly Slavic states - Russia, Belarus and Ukraine converge.
Our countries have always been closely linked. And this is reflected not only in the economic or political component. Borders separated large families, separated brothers and sisters, grandparents. And it is very unfortunate that recently there has been an increase in tension in relations between two almost fraternal states - Ukraine and Russia. The hope was expressed that the Day of Friendship and Unity of the Slavs in 2015 could reducekindling the fire of enmity.
So, the Slavic Unity festival is celebrated every year. The venue for the general holiday is the point where the borders of the three friendly states converge closest. Alternating, guests are received by one of them.
As it was in past years
In 2013 the festival celebrated its anniversary. The guests were going to celebrate the unity of souls for the 45th time. The holiday this year was dedicated to another significant date - 1025 years have passed since the baptism of Russia. The event was held in the Bryansk region of the Russian Federation.
In 2014, by coincidence, the holiday was again held outside the city of Klimov, in the Bryansk region.
But the Day of Friendship and Unity of the Slavs in 2015 was held in the town of Loev, in the Gomel region of Belarus. Its holding just coincided with the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
Festival 2016
It is not yet clear where Slavic Unity will be held this year. In theory, Ukraine should become the host in 2016, but due to the unstable situation on its territory, it is expected that Klimov in the Bryansk region will again host. It is important for us to know the Day of Friendship and Unity of the Slavs. Photos illustrating how the holiday goes on can be seen in our article.
Conclusion
We are all Slavs. And this is a very rich in culture and traditions nation. So let's not forget what flows in our blood, but be proud that our ancestorsfounded such powerful and strong states, created a written language and opened the first schools. We are Slavs and we are united!
