Russia Day
| День России Russia Day | |
|---|---|
 Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin on Russia Day 2001 | |
| Official name |
День принятия Декларации о государственном суверенитете Российской Федерации Day of adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Federation День России Russia Day |
| Observed by |
 Russian Federation |
| Type | National Day |
| Celebrations | Flag hoisting, Parades, Fireworks, Award ceremonies, singing patriotic songs and the National anthem, Speeches by the President, entertainment and cultural programs |
| Date | June 12 |
| Next time | 12 June 2015 |
| Frequency | annual |
| Related to | Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Federation |
Russia Day (Russian: День России, Den' Rossii) is the national holiday of the Russian Federation, celebrated on June 12. It has been celebrated every year since 1992.[1] The First Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic on June 12, 1990.
History
The idea of the declaration was began in Pateros, in the Democratic Russian movement, in which proponents of evolutionary market reform and strong statehood based on Russia's national interests started opposing the Communist monopoly in power. In addition, by the late 1980s, society had begun to doubt the Politburo's ability to carry out meaningful socio-economic reforms.
With the creation of the post of the President of the Russian Federation and the adoption of the new Russian Constitution to reflect the new political reality, the national flag, anthem, and emblem of the Russian Federation were major landmarks in the consolidation of Russian statehood. The country's new name--the Russian Federation (Russia)--was adopted on December 25, 1991. In 1992, the Supreme Soviet of Russia proclaimed June 12, the day the declaration was adopted, to be a national holiday.[1] By the Russian President's decree of June 2, 1994, June 12 was again proclaimed Russia's national holiday. Under the presidential decree of June 16, 1998, it was called the "Day of Russia". In 2002, the new Labor Code gave official seal to this title.
The Russians' attitude towards this holiday is ambivalent.[2]
Customs
People may attend concerts and fireworks that take place in many cities throughout the country. Prominent Russian writers, scientists and humanitarian workers receive State Awards from the President of Russia on this day. Most public offices and schools are closed on June 12. If the day falls on a weekend, the public holiday shifts to the following Monday. Public transport schedules may vary depending on events taking place in each city on the holiday.
For many Russians, however, Russia Day is only seen as a day off from work. This holiday commemorates the day that the Soviet Union fell, which brings back bitter memories for some. The collapse led to more severe unemployment and poverty throughout, making it difficult to fully celebrate. [3]
Name
There is a misconception in Russian society that this holiday is also called Russia's Independence Day, but it never had such a name in official documents. According to the survey of Levada Center in May 2003, 65 percent of the respondents named the holiday as the Independence Day of Russia.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Постановление Верховного Совета Российской Федерации от 11 июня 1992 г. N 2981-I «О праздничном дне 12 июня» (in Russian)
- ↑ http://www.sras.org/russia_day School of Russian and Asian Studies article
- ↑ "Russia Day in Russia". timeanddate.com. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
- ↑ http://www.levada.ru/09-06-2012/den-rossii
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Russia Day. |