Guides from All Over Ukraine Will Sign the Safe Excursions Manifesto
In Ukraine, the “Rub for Good Luck” Project was launched aimed at drawing attention to the popular tradition of tourists during the pandemic – rubbing sculptures for good luck. Any guide who wish can join the project and promote safety rules during excursions, including hand disinfection after touching the monument. To do this, you need to sign the Manifesto of safe excursions on the site https://smile-trynaudachu.com.ua/.
“People are accustomed to wearing masks, sometimes they do without shaking hands, but they can face danger when touching monuments in order to attract the luck. Scientists’ researches show that dozens of species of bacteria and viruses live on the surfaces of sculptures. And the coronavirus, which can be transmitted through the hands, can turn a lucky sign into a danger, – the Project organizer, the Hygiene Division Head of the Biosphere Corporation Oleksandr Lavrov, says. – Even when Ukraine is in the green zone, simple anti-virus habits should be remembered, including hand sanitization with wipes.”
Popular guides became the ambassadors of the “Rub for Good Luck” Project: The Manager of Kyiv Yulia Bevzenko, the Founder of Odessa Excursion Agency Oleksandr Babich as well as the Expert of Lviv Petro Radkovets.
“Safety has always been a priority on my excursions, and I’m sure not only on mine. If not, I appeal to all guides of Ukraine to pay attention to it once again. Even when everyone starts to forget about quarantine, it is worth watching the guests, asking them to wear a mask at the entrance to the museum or cafe, not to crowd when listening to something interesting, – the ambassador of the “Rub for Good Luck” Project Yulia Bevzenko notes. – Hand disinfection is equally important, because no one uses gloves now. Therefore, the guides who sign the Manifesto of safe excursions receive a considerable stock of disinfectant wipes.”
As part of the project, Smile points will appear near the monuments to Pronia Prokopivna and Svyryd Holokhvastov in Kyiv, Duke de Richelieu in Odessa and Usmishka in Lviv. There you can rub the sculpture for good luck, disinfect your hands and take part in a mini-quiz on the history of the monument.
The tradition of rubbing sculptures for good luck dates back more than 2,000 years. The ancient Greek philosopher Democritus noticed that the golden hands of sculptures in temples gradually “lose weight” from the kisses and touches of parishioners. It was then believed that by touching the shrine, you can take with you a part of its grace. Over time, the tradition became more “professional”. For example, in the Netherlands, the military has been rubbing for centuries the hilt of d’Artagnan’s sword in Maastricht. Today, the custom of rubbing a sculpture depends on the urban legend or the person to whom the monument is dedicated.
* Smile is one of the largest manufacturers of personal care products in Ukraine, part of the Biosphere Corporation. Smile produces paper handkerchiefs, wipes with natural oils for hand care, antibacterial and disinfectant wipes Smile Sterill Bio, which destroy all known viruses.