Knowledge Day (russian: День Знаний), often simply called 1 September, is the

day A day is the time period of a full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours, 1440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds. In everyday life, the word "day" often refers to a solar day, which is the length between two so ...

when the

school year A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compul ...

traditionally starts in

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eigh ...

and many other former

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

republics as well as other countries in the former

Eastern Bloc The Eastern Bloc, also known as the Communist Bloc and the Soviet Bloc, was the group of socialist states of Central and Eastern Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America under the influence of the Soviet Union that existed du ...

(excluding

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, a ...

which falls on September 11 and the former

East Germany East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...

varies in a coordinated fashion and Azerbaijan which falls on September 15) and

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

Description

Knowledge Day originated in the USSR, where it had been established by the Decree of the

Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (russian: Президиум Верховного Совета, Prezidium Verkhovnogo Soveta) was a body of state power in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).first grade First grade (also called Grade One, called '' Year 2'' in England or Primary 2 in Scotland) is the first grade in elementary school and the first school year after kindergarten. Children are usually 6–7 years old in this grade. Examples ...

rs who come to school for the first time and often participate in a celebratory assembly on this date. The day also involves the First Bell (Первый Звонок). Students in other grades may begin studies on September 1 or a few days later, usually without any special festivities. 1 September has an iconic cultural status in the Russian-speaking world and is immediately recognized there primarily in connection with the beginning of the school year. In

, Knowledge Day is observed on 1 September. Due to immigration of the former Soviet families to Israel, it is observed as such. There is also " Last School-Bell Day" (End of the year).

Significant Events

Beslan school siege

On Knowledge Day (1 September) 2004 the occupants of School Number One in the Russian Town of Beslan were taken hostage by armed Chechen terrorist group Riyadus-Salikhin. The Beslan school siege lasted 3 days and ended catastrophically when Russian security services stormed the building, resulting in the death of 333 hostages, 186 of them children. The mishandling of the siege by the Russian authorities resulted in significant political implications for the Russian state.

References

External links

The best of Ukraine
h1>