May 19, 1861: Ukraine’s first Sunday school opens in Sumy. May 19, 1922: the All-Union Young Pioneers Organization is formed (named for Lenin in 1924). May 20, 1934: an international teachers congress is held in Kyiv. May 20, 1961: the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR issues a decree instituting annual Taras Shevchenko Prizes for outstanding merit in literature and the fine arts. May 21, 1918: the Ukrainian National-State Union is founded by representatives of various political parties. May 21, 1921: the Council of People’s Commissars of the Ukrainian SSR adopts a decree on measures to combat illiteracy. May 22, 1861: the remains of Taras Shevchenko are transferred from St. Petersburg to the top of Mt. Chernecha near Kaniv. May 22, 1954: Kyiv is awarded the Order of Lenin under a decree of the USSR Supreme Soviet Presidium, in commemoration of the 300th anniversary of “reunification” between Ukraine and Russia. May 23, 1918: Ukraine and Russia begin peace negotiations in Brest-Litovsk. May 23, 1938: OUN leader Yevhen Konovalets is assassinated in Rotterdam. May 24: Slavic Literature and Culture Day. May 24, 1940: the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America is founded in Washington. May 24, 1991: the Green Party of Ukraine is registered with the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. May 25, 1709: Peter I orders the destruction of the Zaporizhzhia (Chortomlytska) Sich.






