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| 31.12.2023-GIF-New Year's Eve-2023 |
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3… 2… 1… Happy New Year! This Doodle brings some sparkle and shine to start off New Year right! As the clock nears closer and closer to midnight, people around the world are planning their new year’s resolutions and wishing for success, love, joy, and everything in between. |
Today’s annual Doodle celebrates Great Union Day, or Ziua Marii Uniri, in Romania! This holiday commemorates the unification of several different ethnic groups under one single banner. On this day in 1918, the National Assembly of Alba Iulia voted unanimously in favor of a greater union between Transylvania, Bessarabia, Bukovina, and the Kingdom of Romania.
As a result, the country was officially recognized by the international community and welcomed to the world stage. Romania’s territorial size nearly doubled, and its population increased by 10 million. The first ever celebration in Alba Iulia marked the end of years of struggle for self-determination, and instilled a sense of identity and unity among its diverse residents.
On Great Union Day, Romanians attend military parades, musical and dance performances, historical plays, and flag-raising ceremonies throughout the country. The blue, yellow, and red stripes of the Romanian national flag — like the one waving in today’s artwork — represent liberty, justice, and fraternity. Great Union Day acts as a symbol of their shared heritage and collective spirit, reminding them of their country's rich history and the importance of unity during times of challenge.
