On January 9, 2025, the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Humanitarian and Information Policy considered two draft laws on the establishment of the National Day of Prayer - the main one (reg. No. 12336, authors - D. Arakhamia, I. Krulko, Y. Tymoshenko, O. Vasyuk and others) and an alternative one (No. 12336-1, author - H. Tretyakova). Based on the results of the consideration, the Committee supported as a basis and as a whole the legislative initiative to establish a memorial day in Ukraine, the National Day of Prayer, which is proposed to be held on February 24.
The main purpose of the draft law, as stated in the explanatory note, is to designate a National Day of Prayer in Ukraine, which will be celebrated annually on February 24, the anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. For this purpose, it is proposed to amend Article 73 of the Labor Code, which is supplemented by a regulation on the establishment of a memorial day "February 24 - National Day of Prayer." The final provisions of the draft law provide for a special meeting of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on the National Day of Prayer, a nationwide campaign "Light a Candle" and other events at the state level. According to the draft law, this day will be a working day if it does not fall on a weekend.
According to the authors of the initiative, the adoption of this bill provides to preserve the spiritual heritage, strengthen the patriotic spirit, and consolidate Ukrainian society in a common prayer for the victory and restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Photo by agropolit.com