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Defenders and Defendresses of Ukraine Day!

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On the occasion of the Day of Defenders and Defendresses of Ukraine, we invite you to visit the virtual exhibition «UNBREAKABLE KHARKIV — UNBREAKABLE KHARKIV REGION!» by a photographer, volunteer, public figure, Head of the NGO «Hromadska Varta ta Initsiayva» Victoria Belikova.

The Day of Defenders and Defendresses of Ukraine is a national holiday of Ukraine, observed on the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The holiday was established on October 14, 2014 by the decree of the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, in order to honor the courage and heroism of the defenders of the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, the military traditions and achievements of the Ukrainian people, to promote the further strengthening of the patriotic spirit in society and to support the initiative of the public. The same decree canceled the decree of the President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma of 1999, which had established the holiday — Defender of the Matherland Day, which had been observed annually on February 23.

Later, President Poroshenko took the initiative to establish Defender of Ukraine Day a public holiday and a non-working day from 2015 with the introduction of relevant amendments to the Code of Labor Laws.

On March 5, 2015, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted as a basis and in general the President’s draft law, which proposed to establish Defender of Ukraine Day on October 14 would be a day off.

On August 3, 2021, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi signed the Law «On Amendments to Article 73 of the Labor Code of Ukraine» No. 1643-IX and the Parliament adopted it on July 14, 2021. The document promotes a gender-balanced coverage of the role of military personnel in defending our country and proper honoring warriors of both sexes. Because of many women equally with men participate in defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

According to the law, the Parliament officially altered the name of the holiday from «Day of Defender of Ukraine» to «Day of Defenders and Defendresses of Ukraine». The law entered into force on the day following its publication on August 4, 2021.

In connection with the church calendar reform in Ukraine, the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be celebrated on October 1 from 2023. On June 28, 2023, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi, submitted to the Verkhovna Rada the draft law on the postponement of Defender of Ukraine Day from October 14 to October 1, which was adopted on July 14, 2023.

On July 28, Zelenskyi signed the draft law and the President’s Decree No.455/2023 «On Amendments to Certain Decrees of the President of Ukraine», so the date of the holiday was finally postponed.