Kiev, Ukraine: Ukrainians are celebrating their Unification day today. It may be mentioned that People Republic of Ukraine (mostly in Eastern Ukraine) and West Ukrainian People Republic became one state in year 1919.
Even after almost a century, living style, food, political commitments and political philosophies of both regions are different as they were before political unification. Western Ukraine has its unique culture–far away from influence of European or Russian culture. The merger of the two republics was marked by a public manifestation of the Unification Act at the Saint Sophia Square, Kyiv. 94 years later, the Ukrainian nation celebrates the remarkable historical event by numerous mass events.
Historically, these halves often belonged to different empires – e.g., prior to the Unification Act the western and eastern territories were under Austro-Hungarian and Russian rule, respectively. The Day of National Unity of Ukraine is one of the biggest holidays in the country. It marks the adjoining of all the lands where the Ukrainian nation resided under single sovereignty and is one of the most important historical holidays alongside Independence Day, celebrated on August 24.