A preview of our photo exhibition in Mykolayiv

Mykolayiv’s central exhibition hall has officially opened an exhibition of the best items of the Fifth Den/The Day International Photo Contest and held a regional presentation of books from Den/The Day’s Library.

Exhibition hall employees admitted that Mykolayiv residents had shown extraordinary interest in the exhibition: well before the official opening, city residents, who had learned about the exhibition from the press and local television, would drop in to catch a glimpse of the popular national daily’s contest photos. As the city exhibition hall is located on a downtown pedestrians-only street, a longtime favorite recreation place, there were quite many of those wishing to have a sneak peek.

During the opening ceremony, Mykolayiv Mayor Volodymyr Chaika and First Deputy Governor Yury Shkliarsky said they highly appreciated the “integrative idea” of exhibition organizers who thus help Ukrainians in different regions to become closer and more familiar with each other. Journalists, writers, and artists voted with pleasure for the works they liked, while local photo artists and photo reporters said they also would like to take part in the contest (contest conditions are to be announced shortly).

Equally keen interest was aroused by the presentation of two books, Ukrayina Incognita and Dvi Rusi as part of the Den/The Day’s Library series. The mayor, who received the books from Valentyn Pustovoit, deputy chairman of the Ukrainian Press Group board of directors, promised to give them to the central city library after he had read them. The two books were also accepted with gratitude at the Sukhomlynsky State University’s School of History, where, according to Dean Natalia Shevchenko, it evoked great interest among the faculty and students. She said in her speech she had long dreamed of publishing a similar regional edition which could cover the local blank spots of history. Mykolayiv, once a city closed to Westerners and still a center of military shipbuilding, has more than enough spots of this kind. Dmytro Kremen, a prominent Ukrainian poet and Shevchenko Prize winner, also expressed sincere gratitude for the interest the national newspaper evinced in the region.

EDITOR’S NOTE

The now traditional Contest of Viewers’ Preferences will be summed up in April, when the photo exhibition closes. The Mykolayiv oblast and city administrations promised to award prizes to the authors of the photos voted best by local residents. The local authorities also wish to participate in the action Den/The Day’s Library Books to Children by purchasing Ukrayina Incognita and Dvi Rusi for the libraries of orphanages, sick children’s boarding schools, etc.