Dec 01, 2022
Great Union Day 2022
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle celebrates Great Union Day in Romania, when Basarabia, Bucovina, Transilvania, Banat, Crișana, and Maramureș unified with the Romanian Kingdom. It was declared a public holiday on this day in 1918.
Romania was created through the unification of Wallachia and Maldovia in 1859, which is known as “the Little Union.” In 1881, after gaining independence from the Ottoman Empire, Romania became a monarchy. Romania and Austria-Hungary disputed over Transylvania—a territory with a population that was primarily Romanian.
The National Assembly gathered in Alba Iulia and unanimously voted in favor of the greater union in 1918. The assembly included elected representatives from Transylvania, Banat, Crisana, and Maramures. Ferdinand I passed the law of unification the following day.
On Great Union Day, celebrations like military parades and speeches mainly occur in Bucharest and Alba Iulia. Local events across the country are also held to remember those who fought for independence and unification. The Romanian blue, yellow, and red national flag, like the one waving in today’s artwork, can be seen throughout the nation. The cobalt blue represents liberty, the chrome yellow symbolizes justice, and the vermillion red embodies fraternity.
Happy Great Union Day, Romania!
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