National Unity Day is observed in Belarus every September 17. Established by Alexander Lukashenko in 2021, this public holiday commemorates the Soviet invasion of Poland and the subsequent reunification of Western Belarus with the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. The day highlights the continuity of generations and the self-sufficiency of Belarusian statehood. The holiday has faced criticism from some historians and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Poland and Lithuania, who argue that the annexation led to Stalinist repressions in the region. The name "National Unity Day" is also seen as an attempt to align with Russia, which has a holiday of the same name.