Banksy creates “Girl with Balloon” mural in London
Girl with Balloon is a 2002-started London series of stencil murals by the graffiti artist Banksy. A 2017 Samsung poll ranked Girl with Balloon as the United Kingdom’s number one favorite artwork.
Europe
The Netherlands became the world’s first country to legalize same-sex marriage
No country recognized marriage between two people of the same sex prior to the 21st century, but a law to legalize marriage equality passed the Dutch legislature in 2000 and went into effect several months later.
Austria, Finland, and Sweden join the European Union
The European Union was formally established when the Maastricht Treaty came into force on 1 November 1993. In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU.
Ukraine becomes independent state after collapse of the Soviet Union
On 1 December, voters approved a referendum formalizing independence from the Soviet Union. Over 90% of Ukrainian citizens voted for independence, with majorities in every region, including 56% in Crimea.
Denmark completes world’s first ever offshore wind farm
Vindeby Offshore Wind Farm was the first offshore wind farm in the world, erected in 1991 off the coast of the town of Vindeby on the Danish island of Lolland. It was decommissioned for cost reasons in 2017 after 25 years of useful life.
Finland enacts world’s first-ever carbon tax
The tax was based on the carbon content of the fossil fuels and charged at €1.12 per tonne of CO2 when it was first started. The carbon tax was reformed in 1997 and 2011. Now, it has evolved into a combined tax of carbon and energy tax charging €18.05 per tonne of CO2 and €66.2 per tonne of carbon.
The Velvet Revolution leads to the end of Communist Party rule in Czechoslovakia
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia, occurring from 17 November to 29 December 1989. The result was the end of 41 years of one-party rule in Czechoslovakia.
Activists bring down the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a guarded concrete barrier that physically and ideologically divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989.
The Third Polish Republic is founded, transitioning the country to democracy
With the advent of perestroika in the Soviet Union under Mikhail Gorbachev, the opportunity arose to finally change the system of government, after the harsh period of martial law (1981-83) imposed by General Jaruzelski.
Denmark becomes world’s first country to legally recognize same-sex relationships
The country’s landmark registered partnerships gave those in same-sex relationships most rights of married heterosexuals, but not the right to adopt or obtain joint custody of a child.