• Українська
  • Русский
  • English
Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

LINA KOSTENKO: OUR NATION NEEDS A GENIUS

17 March, 1998 - 00:00

Shevchenko's birthday is one of our greatest holidays when people who realize that they are Ukrainians get together to honor the national bard and prophet. All internal squabbles and trifling disputes cease when we hear his name, and suddenly the realization of being a part of this whole nation comes to us. On May 9 many paid tribute to Taras in many places: a populous meeting was held near his monument, there was also an official ceremony in the National Philharmonic. We can say without exaggeration that the celebration in museum-manor of Taras Shevchenko was a very intellectual meeting which didn't remind us of a show. This year the set of guests included Lina Kostenko, Mikhailyna Kotsiubynska, and Taras Hunchak. There were also common people who felt an inner need to be there that day. The guests talked about the most disturbing problems such as the promotion of Shevchenko's name, while his poetry is not read from the beginning to the end and requires new interpretations. But the main thing, as Lina Kostenko pointed out, is that every nation has to have its genius who will be honored by all his compatriots, foreigners, and even by enemies. Thus, we celebrated not only our poet's birthday, yesterday was a day of national unity. In his words, "in our new, free family."

Photo by Viktor Marushchenko, The Day:

Lina Kostenko

 

Issue: 
Rubric: