March 28 — World Historian's Day: how did the holiday, traditions, and greetings come about?

Every year on March 28, Russia celebrates World Historian's Day, dedicated to specialists who study the events and culture of the past based on various sources. In 2025, it falls on a Friday. Read about how the celebration appeared and what traditions are associated with it in the Izvestia article.

World Historian's Day in 2025 — what kind of holiday is it?

World Historian's Day is a holiday with Russian roots. Members of the Russian Historical Society suggested celebrating it in 2006 to emphasize the importance of studying the past for the further development of the state. The initiative was supported by both the celebrants themselves and ordinary citizens, and soon a new holiday date appeared on the calendar.

Attempts to comprehend and systematize the past have been made in Russia at all times. Thus, the history of the origin of the Ancient Russian state is described in the chronicle of the XII century under the title "The Tale of bygone years". Later events were also recorded in the chronicles, which were kept in large monasteries. In 1674, Archimandrite Innokenty Gizel of the Kiev Caves Lavra compiled the first historical textbook, the Synopsis. It was a collection of chronicles and legends in literary processing.

Nevertheless, until the beginning of the 18th century, the study of history in Russia was not given much importance, it was not even included among the compulsory school subjects. It began to be taught to children in 1705 at the gymnasium of Pastor Ernst Gluck in Moscow, and then at the St. Petersburg school of Feofan Prokopovich.

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In 1786, history was officially included in the list of school subjects. However, the teachers faced a serious problem — at that time there was not a single approved textbook on this subject in the country. On the bookshelves one could find Vasily Tatishchev's "Russian History" and the works of foreign scientists, but they were not suitable for classes. Therefore, teachers often focused on their own knowledge and tested students in a question–and-answer format.

Under Catherine II, the development of a Russian history textbook based on foreign textbooks began. The Empress actively participated in its creation, but she never saw the finished product — "A Brief Russian History published in favor of Public Schools" was published in 1799, three years after her death.

The publication of the first Russian textbook gave an impetus to the writing of other textbooks. The real "hit" of the 19th century was "Short Sketches of Russian History" by Professor Dmitry Ilovaisky, published in 1860. The book has been reprinted over 40 times and has remained relevant for the country's educational institutions for more than half a century.

After 1917, the young Soviet government began to review the tsarist education system. Pre-revolutionary Russia was declared a cruel colonizer and a "prison of nations," and its history was effectively abolished. The main ideologist of this was academician Mikhail Pokrovsky, who considered history to be "a policy tipped into the past." As a result, by the 1920s, history had disappeared from the curriculum of schools and universities, and social studies had taken its place, including concise information about important events of past eras.

However, it soon became apparent that Pokrovsky's approach was not only irrelevant, but also harmful. In 1934, history returned to schools and universities, and its study became an important area of government policy. From that moment, the popularization of history in the country began. In the 1950s, new, more comprehensive textbooks appeared, and in the 1970s, special historical courses, electives, and specialized educational institutions began to open.

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Today, the study of history and the preservation of the memory of the events of the past play an important role in the life of our country and the education of the younger generation. In 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a telegram to the participants of the First All—Russian School Historical Forum "The Power is in the Truth!" stressed the importance of studying history.

"Deep knowledge of our history, respectful, careful attitude to the great patriotic, spiritual, and cultural heritage of the Fatherland allow us to draw the right conclusions from the past," he wrote.

Traditions for World Historian's Day – 2025

In honor of World Historian's Day, various educational and cultural events are held in Russia. Lectures, seminars, conferences, forums and discussions are organized on this day, during which researchers can exchange experiences and opinions. Museums and exhibition centers prepare expositions dedicated to various eras and historical figures. Exciting activities, quizzes and contests are organized for children and schoolchildren to help strengthen their knowledge of history.

World Historian's Day on March 28, 2025 — congratulations

In honor of the World Historian's Day, Izvestia has prepared examples of congratulations for the perpetrators of the celebration:

"Congratulations on World Historian's Day! Let the veil of mystery hiding the past not become an obstacle for you, and bright finds lead to new amazing discoveries. I wish you a clear mind, inspiration, patience and success in your scientific research!"

"Dear historians, we sincerely congratulate you on your professional holiday! You are the guardians of our past and the chroniclers of the present. Thanks to you, we know exactly where we came from and where we are going. We wish you incredible discoveries, fruitful work, and the realization of all your ideas and aspirations!"

"Congratulations to all involved on World Historian's Day! May there always be a place for new ideas, discoveries, questions and unexpected findings in your work. I wish you good health, recognition from colleagues, grateful students and successful scientific work!"

Earlier, Izvestia told how the Cultural Worker's Day is celebrated in Russia.