September 1 — Knowledge Day: holiday traditions, how the first day of study will be held in 2025

Knowledge Day is celebrated in Russia on September 1. This is an important date for all teachers, students, schoolchildren and their parents, marking the beginning of a new academic year. In 2025, the celebrations will be held on Monday. Izvestia tells us what kind of program awaits students on the first day of school.

The history of the Knowledge Day holiday

The tradition of starting the school year on September 1 came to Russia in the 15th century from Byzantium, closely intertwined with church customs. At that time, this day was celebrated as a significant church-state holiday — New Year. Since schools followed the church calendar, education began on the first day of autumn.

Changes occurred under Peter the Great, when the new year began to be celebrated on January 1. However, there was no single date for the start of studies. Until the end of the 18th century, schools and gymnasiums accepted students from August to December. Usually, urban schoolchildren started classes earlier, as field work was still going on in the villages.

Later, schools began to choose when to start the school year. This usually happened in late August or early September. Officially, September 1 was approved in 1935 as a single date for all educational institutions in the country.

The holiday was proclaimed Knowledge Day in 1984 to emphasize the importance of education and create a festive atmosphere around the beginning of the school year. This tradition has continued in modern Russia and a number of post-Soviet countries, where September 1 is the official date for the start of the new academic year in schools, colleges and universities.

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Traditions of Knowledge Day on September 1st

Previously, on Knowledge Day, schoolchildren were expected to have a full school day with five to six lessons. Now there are no lessons in schools, instead there are solemn lines, class hours and knowledge lessons.

Traditionally, students are greeted by the headmaster, and creative performances by students and the launching of balloons into the sky are organized on the site near the educational institution. The central event of the celebration is when an eleventh—grader carries a first-grader on his shoulder, who rings a bell. Its ringing symbolizes the beginning of the school year. After that, the students go to classes.

It is also customary in many schools to give flowers to teachers, take pictures in class, and have tea parties. In some regions, school administrators or local authorities give first-graders books and stationery sets.

Since 2022, the celebrations on September 1 have been held according to the new regulations. The raising of the national flag and the performance of the Russian national anthem became mandatory elements of the holiday.

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How will the first day of school be in 2025?

As in previous years, on September 1, schools will begin with a solemn lineup. They can take place both on the street and in the assembly or sports halls. The decision is made by the educational organization. Therefore, the venue should be specified in advance on the school's website.

However, in some regions, the lines may be subject to restrictions for security reasons, the Newspaper writes.Ru». In particular, the changes may affect schools in the Kursk, Bryansk, Rostov and Voronezh regions.

On Knowledge Day, schools and colleges are planning the first extracurricular activity of the new academic year, "Conversations about important things." The lesson will be devoted to an important topic: "Why should a person study?" They plan to discuss with students why knowledge is needed, how studying helps them discover their abilities, make plans, and pursue their dreams.

Earlier, Izvestia told what gadgets students and schoolchildren are buying before September 1.