October 22 — White Cranes Day: history, traditions, events

On October 22, Russia and other countries of the world will celebrate the Day of the White Cranes. This poetic and memorable date is dedicated to the soldiers who fell on the battlefields, and is designed to strengthen the ideals of friendship and peace. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Wednesday. Izvestia tells about the history and traditions of the holiday, as well as about events dedicated to this day.

White Cranes Day: the history of the memorable date

White Crane Day is a unique holiday with a poetic soul and a deep patriotic meaning. Unlike the official state dates, its origins lie in literature and the personal pain of thousands of families who lost their heroes.

Established by the national poet of Dagestan Rasul Gamzatov, the holiday was originally dedicated to the memory of the fallen in the Great Patriotic War. Over time, its meaning has expanded, and today it embodies universal values: peace, kindness and friendship between peoples.

Having originated in 1986 in Dagestan as a local event associated with the opening of the first "crane" monument, the holiday quickly crossed the borders of the region. In 2009, it was included in the UNESCO calendar and acquired international status. At the same time, a single date of celebration was fixed — October 22.

Why did the white crane become a symbol of memory?

The choice of the white crane as a symbol of the celebration has a historical justification. This symbol has been known in the culture of different nations since ancient times. In Japan, cranes represent longevity and well—being, in Chinese philosophy they represent the immortality of the soul, and in Ancient Russia, white-winged birds were the epitome of patience and obedience.

Over time, this capacious and poignant image went beyond folk beliefs, being reflected in literature, painting and monumental art. In the twentieth century, it acquired a new meaning thanks to the poet Rasul Gamzatov, the author of the famous song "Cranes".

Initially, the poet was inspired by the Japanese legend of a thousand paper cranes that can heal a sick person, and the story of a girl named Sadako Sasaki, who suffered from the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima. However, in his poem, these images were melted down into a universal symbol of soldiers who did not return from the war.

Today, since 2014, the white crane has become the official symbol of the Immortal Regiment movement, embodying the immortality of the feat and the eternal memory of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

White Crane Day Traditions

Traditionally, on this memorable day, flowers are laid at the memorials of soldiers all over the country, literary evenings, lessons of courage are held, and white paper cranes are launched into the sky. This touching tradition symbolizes the souls of fallen soldiers who set off on an eternal flight, and at the same time, the hope for a peaceful future.

Thematic lessons, literary evenings and creative meetings are held in libraries, museums and educational institutions, where poems and songs about the war are played. Similar events on White Crane Day are organized outside of Russia.

First of all, commemorative events are held in the countries of the former Soviet Union, where they honor the common history and victims of the Great Patriotic War. In particular, in Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia.

Internationally, the holiday's status is supported by anti-war actions and flash mobs. Residents of different countries also post images of white cranes and poems dedicated to the eternal theme of war and peace on social networks.

Everyone and everyone: Russia celebrates the anniversary of the Great Victory

In dozens of regions, actions in honor of the 80th anniversary of the end of the Great Patriotic War were held in a face-to-face format.

In addition, the opening of new monuments depicting cranes is often timed to coincide with the holiday. The first such monuments, called "cranes", appeared in Dagestan and some other regions. Over time, the geography of the crane's wedge has expanded significantly. There are several dozen such monuments in the world today.

How will the holiday be celebrated in 2025

In 2025, the central event in Russia will be the 15th anniversary All-Russian Memorial day "Days of the White Cranes". A large-scale youth patriotic project dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory will be held from October 16 to 22.

The main events are planned in St. Petersburg. The program includes a requiem rally "Remember them, Russia!", a presentation of the thematic exhibition "Together with the youth of Russia", an All—Russian lesson of courage "Heroes of our Time" and a youth flash mob "Memory of Generations".

The celebrations will end on the evening of October 22 with a large gala concert "Memory preserves humanity" in the historical park "Russia — My History".

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the Day of Defenders of the Moscow Sky, which was proposed by People's Artist of Russia Yuri Nikulin in 1993.