Day of Statehood - What They Know About It in Lviv.

Today, July 15, Ukraine celebrates the Day of Ukrainian Statehood - an important national holiday that reminds us that the history of Ukrainian statehood has lasted for more than a thousand years. This holiday coincides with the day of remembrance of Saint Prince Vladimir the Great, who baptized Kyivan Rus, and the holiday of the Baptism of Rus-Ukraine.

Day of Ukrainian Statehood in Lviv

The majority of surveyed Ukrainians in Lviv consider the Day of Statehood important and emphasize that it should be celebrated. In times of war with Russia, this holiday takes on special significance as a symbol of unity, historical heritage, and national identity.

'The Day of Statehood is usually celebrated in the summer. It is usually when we have the holiday of Olga and Vladimir the Great, who made a significant contribution to the history of Ukraine' - said a woman.

'Actually, I don’t know much. If this is the Day of Baptism of Rus, I might have studied something in school about history, but I can’t say now, I don’t remember' - confessed a tourist.

'I don’t know anything about this day. I think it is necessary to know. And to convey it to people in some way so that they know this' - noted a girl.

'Should we celebrate the Day of Statehood now? I think it is always necessary. Everything related to statehood and some national identification things is all needed' - added a Lviv resident.

When the Day of Statehood Was Introduced

The Day of Ukrainian Statehood was first established by the decree of President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2021, and it was first celebrated in Ukraine on July 28, 2022.

The initiative was proposed back in 2021 during a solemn speech on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Independence. The president emphasized that 'the history of our statehood has more than a thousand years' and expressed the proposal to establish a new holiday as a sign of respect for the roots of the Ukrainian nation.

In 2022, the Verkhovna Rada supported this initiative and included the Day of Statehood in the list of official holidays. This holiday is not a day off but holds symbolic significance, reminding of the heritage of Ukrainian statehood from the times of Kyivan Rus, the Cossack era, the UPR to modern Ukraine.

The Day of Ukrainian Statehood celebrates an important event in the history of Ukraine, which testifies to the thousand-year state-building of the Ukrainian people. The holiday was initiated in 2021 by the president and has now become a traditional symbol of unity, historical memory, and national self-determination.