The Day of Reunion of Ukraine

 

In accordance with the Decree of the President of Ukraine № 42/99 of  January 21,1999, January 22 is marked as the Day of Reunion of Ukraine.

In January 1918 the UkrainianPeopleRepublic was created (UPR) on a territory, which was formerly belonged to the Austria-Hungary empire, along with establishing of the Western-Ukrainian People Republic (WUPR). In December 1918 the leaders of the both states signed a preliminary treaty over an association. On January22, 1919 the Treaty, called as the Act of reunion of Ukrainian lands, was promulgated in Kyiv (capital of the UPR).

This public holiday symbolizes the unity and assembly of the Ukrainian territory. Notwithstanding that this union cannot had preserved its integrity and independence, the Treaty itself embodied the secular dreams of Ukrainians over their sovereign state. Indeed, Ukraine didn’t remain to be as an united state for longer because of tough economic situation and hostile military acts, as well as mutual mistrust of politicians. In few months bolshevics (revolutionary Soviet troops) occupied Kyiv, Polish troops - the Eastern Galicia and Czech troops - the Transcarpathian region.

Though the Act of reunion of 1919 had its declarative nature, it remains to be alive. On January 22, 1990 millions of the then “soviet” Ukraians made a live chain stretched from Kyiv (current capital of Ukraine) to Lviv (the former western capital of the WUPR) to mark the Day of Reunion of Ukraine.

The Government of Ukraine as well as local authorities of Ukraine celebrate this holiday to revive and strengthen historical and spiritual legacy of our state.

 

     The Embassy of Ukraine to the Republic of the South Africa